Forever
by zini-ya
Summary: A new danger. Someone wants its hand on the crown and our heroines must do something to fight it before it's too late for Cephiro.Will love still find its way in the midst of these chaos? HL FF AUC
1. A New Danger

**Chapter One**

A New Danger

For an unknown reason, the barrier between Earth and the other dimension where the planet Cephiro and its other neighboring countries lie weakened. The Highest Mage in Cephiro, its temporary governor, Master Clef couldn't feel any better upon knowing this. There have been strange occurrences that happened recently. From strange people with eccentric clothing and talking in an unfamiliar language to different items that have been found in different parts of Cephiro, all of which were not used by any of their neighboring countries. What's stranger is that all of which were only happening in a fleeting moment. The moment you see them, count a few minutes, hours or few days, and they're gone. Like a ghost. No trace of them could be found anywhere in Cephiro. Not any amount of spiritual energy. Strange.

Why?

Master Clef could feel dreadful danger lurking somewhere hidden and unknown. But then, as much as he wants to find the answer himself, he couldn't. He _just _couldn't. Cephiro, in its present condition, needs all of his full attention.

The first two years since the abolishment of the Pillar system, Cephiro's recovery is so quick that it was almost unbelievable. In just a few months' time, the people's will added together was more than enough to restore Cephiro. Just like the Magic Knights predicted, it is now more beautiful than it had been before. Peace has been redeemed once again.

Nevertheless, questions about the ruling of Cephiro rose until it became a heated issue between the people and the palace. _Who will be the ruler of Cephiro?_ It could have been anyone! They could have chosen Clef or Ferio or any capable leader if not only of their respect to the crown of the Pillar.

Strangely, the crown, after the Magic Knights departed, came back inside the crown room in its new form. A beautiful crown that symbolizes the bravery of the last person it had chosen: Hikaru, the Fire Magic Knight.

The fate of the land of Cephiro is depended upon its people. But without their Pillar, no one would lead them and control the vast energy the land possesses. Thankfully, no one among the land's natives attempted to own the crown and the throne. Leaders from different countries befriended Cephiro and visited Cephiro, but no one was chosen among them. Master Clef knew why. The crown is waiting for its owner, Hikaru. Alas, it has been years but there's still no sign that they'll be coming back. Master Clef is losing his hope and the people are tired of waiting...

Clef raised his magical staff and pointed it on the ceiling. A big screen appeared and showed the present Cephiro. Its breathtaking scenery. Its green land, its floating mass of land, its waterfalls, and the lands of flowers but…it could have been more beautiful if the sky's painted with a calm shade of blue and not dark, and a ray of the sun is blessing the land and not being heavily poured up by rain. The emotion felt by the people is reflected on the weather today and Clef thought how lucky they are that it weren't in the form of monsters.

Clef sighed as the disappointing view disappeared from the ceiling.

The barrier between Cephiro and the home of the Magic Knights weakened. Master Clef will take advantage of that opportunity. It might be possible to reach out to them…

"It's the right time to use that spell…" he said audibly to no one in the room.

to be continued

Continue reading on chapter two and the rest! Don't forget to leave a few words (comments) after reading so that I'll be more inspired to write! I want to thank in advance those who read about my first fanfiction!


	2. Another Chance Let's Go Back to Cephiro!

**Chapter Two**

Let's go Back to Cephiro!

The small alarm clock beside the futon where Hikaru is still asleep, snoring and still wondering in dreamland chimed at exactly 8 o' clock.

Hikaru jumped out of her futon and in an irritated manner, she grabbed the alarm clock to silence it. Her face showed how pale she was, a result of that dream she had and followed by the earsplitting chirping of birds coming from the alarm clock which woke her from her dream.

"_That was a really strange dream… to think that I feel it has connection to us…Fuu and Umi must know it!"_ She thought. Hikaru remembered herself walking in a long, dark lighted hallway. On the far end, a bright light was there and probably it was the exit…

***dream land***

_She was sweating heavily. She had been running for hours already but she still could not reach that bright light. How far exactly is that end of the hallway?_

_Hikaru continued running although this time, she ran slower. She's losing her energy slowly…_

_Then the bright light became bigger, brighter… it went near her until she was surrounded by that light. When the light was gone, she found herself in a strange land. She was surrounded by a breathtaking view. She was on top of a cliff, her eyes feasting on the view. Then she noticed her surrounding changed. The sky became darker; the trees fell one by one on the ground and she felt the ground moved violently under her. An earthquake. Hikaru panicked but she didn't move from her station. There was no place in sight where she could take under cover; all of the grounds were shaking and the trees were not a suitable place to go to. She could hear the howling from the sky and followed by a lightning…_

"_What's happening? I have to get out here quick!" she thought but she could not do anything but wait for all of it to stop. She must be in a dream. The land is not familiar and the last time she could remember, she slept earlier than usual in her room. She promised to go with her friends at Tokyo Tower for the next day!_

_Hikaru closed her eyes and prayed that she goes back to reality. Then, the shaking of the ground was gone. She slowly opened her eyes…and saw the distraction of the land. The sky was still dark and lightning struck the ground from afar. Everything was in chaos. The trees were all in the ground and parts of it cracked due to the earthquake._

"_Hikaru…"_

_Hikaru looked at the direction of the voice. She saw a man a few inches taller than her. He was familiar to her. His eyes, his face…his voice. Her eyes studied the man. He was wearing a long, white robe with traces of lavender. The ornament on his head and the staff he was holding in his hand, as far as she could remember, belonged to someone she knew._

"_Who are you?" she asked as realization slowly dawning to her._

"_I Am Clef." He answered._

"_You are? I can't believe it! Why are you here? Why am I here?"_

_I have used a great amount of my energy to summon you here in Cephiro. This is the other face of Cephiro. This place is the place where all the disturbances in Cephiro being thrown after being solved. All of the distractions you see here are the "trashes" of Cephiro. I have used this place for it doesn't require much energy for me to summon your spirit. Hikaru, I have something to tell you." Clef's face looked grim which concerned Hikaru. _

"_Is there any problem in Cephiro?" she asked._

"_There is. But I don't have enough time to explain. You must try to will yourself here in Cephiro. Only you can solve this problem. Fast. You must come here." Instead was what Clef answered._

"_But Clef…we've done that a hundred of times before!"_

"_Then try it again. Never give up. Please…The barrier between your home and Cephiro has weakened. You might be able to come through it again. Hurry, Hikaru! Before everything becomes too late!" _

"_Clef?" Hikaru noticed Master Clef's form is becoming transparent. And his voice becoming unclear each time passes…_

"_Hurry…"_

****exit from the dream land****

"Hikaru?"

The voice of her oldest brother, Saturo, woke Hikaru from her reminiscence back to reality. She hurriedly left her futon and opened the door.

"Yes, Brother?" she asked.

Saturo smiled after seeing Hikaru. She was obviously not ready for breakfast yet. She was in a mess. Her hair is in disarray, it badly needs combing and she's still wearing her pajamas. "Get ready, your breakfast is ready. And your friend, Umi, called up and told me to remind you about your appointment later."

"Yeah…I'll just take a few minutes…" she answered and groaned inwardly. It's already summer and yet her everyday routine doesn't change! For once, she wanted to wake up very, very late! She still wants to have some sleep…

oOo

Fuu sipped the remaining drop of her Summer Melon Milkshake while her eyes are cautiously watching Umi sitting on the chair on the other side of the table. She was guessing what her friend is thinking now, especially that it has been 30 minutes past since the appointed time of when the three of them will meet in the cafe not far from the train station, the famous Oh-So-Delicious Cafe…

Umi's gaze was transfixed outside the cafe while her right hands where rested on the table and playing her favorite strawberry cake. Anyone inside the room would be fooled by the serene look on her face at that time. Only Fuu knows what was inside her mind. What she was thinking. What she's feeling… Serenity's exact contradiction! Fury! Well… only on a lower level… Fury could kill and Fuu knows that Umi can't kill. But she also knows that at that moment, no anger's worse than Umi's anger. _Only _through a miracle that Hikaru can be saved!

"Umi…" Fuu called. "Shall I call Hikaru?"

Umi's gaze landed on her. "No."

"Umm…maybe there was traffic or an accident…" Fuu is beginning to sweat her palm. She's totally running out of words! How could Hikaru do this again? She really knows what to do to move Umi's anger!

"Fuu…" she looked at her and Fuu saw Umi's eyes getting smaller, and an imaginary smoke went out of the imaginary hole that appeared at Umi's temples!"Don't you think that traffic is unlikely to happen in this time of the day?" she said coldly.

"Well…" Fuu sweat dropped and let out a small laugh that only the two of them could hear.

"That girl…if she doesn't arrive NOW, I'll make her whole life miserable! I'll contact all the cake, candy, ice cream and all sweet stuff sellers in the world and tell them THAT GIVING HIKARU ANY SWEETS WILL BE BANNED! For the rest of her life, she won't be able to eat her favorite ICE CREEEEAAAAMMM!" Umi was breathing so hard when she finished talking.

"Umi…please calm down and don't talk anymore!" Fuu was almost begging as she was saying this. Her face was so red! "People are looking at us…"

"Oh? That's Hikaru's fault!" Fuu only sighed at Umi's denial. Both of them knew how shameful what she did earlier…

Hikaru was hurriedly running towards Oh-So-delicious Café when she felt the hair on her neck stood up. She felt a chilly sensation all over her body as though someone was cursing her. It was then that an image of her friends, especially Umi's furious face appeared on her mind.

"Oh my god! She must be angry by now!" she knows the nature of her friend when she gets angry. Umi forgets her composed self and sometimes does reckless stuffs such as shouting at the top of her lungs or yelling at anyone looking at her curiously when she gets angry! Also, the reason of her anger will be in big trouble!

She quickened her pace and walked the small distance between the cafe and her while praying to the gods of all gods that she be saved from Umi's anger! It didn't take her long surveying the area; she saw them seated on one of the corners of the cafe. Fuu was wiping her sweats with her handkerchief; she was obviously in the midst of calming Umi.

"Umi! Fuu! Here I am!" she called loudly when she was near them. But she was stopped on her track when she saw how angry Umi was. "Umi…well… I- I am sorry, okay?" she cracked an unsure smile as she said that.

"_I'm sorry, okay?_ And just what kind of an excuse is that? Don't you know we've been waiting for you here for over half an hour, _patiently_?" she answered back. But to Hikaru's surprise, Umi's voice wasn't as loud as she expected. Her voice was calm but firm, and demanding for an explanation. She looked at Fuu, her eyes asking _why_. But her friend could only shrug her shoulder.

"Okay…I won't lie to you anymore…Ummm…I…actually overslept. Sorry. My bad." Hikaru said. "Please don't be angry, Umi? I actually planned to be on time today but… you know me when sleep takes me…please?"

Umi didn't give any answer to that. "Don't ever do this again, okay? Remember, this will be the last! The next time, I'll really, really be angry." She said as she took one bite from her strawberry cake.

Hikaru sighed in relief while Fuu just smiled.

"Anyway, I have something to tell you… I had a dream this morning… a scary dream but considerably changed into something I didn't expect it to be…" Hikaru told her friends. Her eyes showed confusion but changed into excitement when she finished saying the last words.

"What is it?" Fuu asked.

"I dreamed about someone…" she smiled mischievously as she eyed Umi's reaction. "Do you want to know who?"

"Wait…why are you looking at me like that? Is it something that has to do with me?" Umi asked suspiciously. She moved away from Hikaru to avoid whatever it is that Hikaru plans to do.

"Hikaru smiled and turned her face towards Fuu. "I dreamed about Clef." She said.

"What?" Fuu cried out but eventually covered her mouth with her hands. Her face was once again being shaded with pink. There was a moment of silence that passed them. No one spoke. Umi became silent. While Hikaru was waiting for further reaction aside from Fuu's.

"Are you kidding me? You dreamed about Clef? Why him? Why not Lantis?" Umi asked in a _"you-cannot-deceive-me-with-that-old-tricks-of-yours"_ manner.

Hikaru blushed after that. "Uh…I don't know how to answer that… Anyway, that dream is strange. You see…"

oOo

Desma checked her appearance on the oval shaped mirror inside her small room again. For that day, she had decided to wear her waist-length crimson hair down. She made sure that it will be swaying, following her every movement. She knew that most men in Cephiro admire her for her beautiful hair. She knew she was stunning and again, will be given a second look by every person she passes by. When she was satisfied with her look in a beautiful sunny dress, she grabbed the basketful of fruits and left the house.

There's only one place of her destination. Towards Lantis. She smiled at the remembrance of him. For Lantis was the only man she had set her eyes upon. She readied a more enchanting smile when she approached the palace' entrance guard.

"I'm going to see the Magic Swordsman." She informed a guard. The guard, blushing heavily looked at her dreamily and eventually let her pass.

_Easy as that._ Desma walked confidently towards the garden of the palace, presumably where Lantis is.

Her one brow furrowed when she saw Primera circling around the sleeping form of Lantis. She and Primera weren't in good terms ever since the day they have first met. Every day that the two of them would meet, the small _creature_ would give her a warning look, telling her to stay away from Lantis. And everytime she would ignore that, setting Primera's temper in great outburst.

Desma approached them. There's no reason for her to avoid Primera. She could make her disappear _anytime_…

"Hey! Stop! Don't go nearer. Can't you see Lantis is resting?" the fairy snapped the moment she saw her. "And what is that you're carrying? Food? _Well_, you better bring that back home 'cause he won't accept it. He can eat even if you don't give him that!"

"Primera. It is not your damn business if Lantis accepts this or not." She said coolly and tried to walk past her. But Primera angrily flew in front of her face.

"Don't call me Primera, okay? I didn't give you any right. We're not friends. Only a friend can call me with my name."

Desma sighed audibly and spoke in a small but gettingangry voice. She was careful not to let Lantis hear it. "I don't give a damn whatever you're called, _insect!_"

Primera was left aghast. It was the first the first time she was called an insect!

oOo

Not very far from where Desma was approaching Lantis, there are people who were watching all that happened.

"I have a bad feeling about that girl…" Ferio said looking back at her companions. "I've never seen her before. Even when all of the people where inside the residential at the last battle, I can't remember seeing her there."

"Me too…However, I can't smell anything from her…like as though she's from another place like me." Caldina said.

"Hikaru will be sad if he did fall to her… especially that Desma saved his life…and a portion of his memory was lost" Presea added. "And what she said to that poor fairy was an act of an ill-mannered person. I was surprised Desma said that."

"_Hey, guys!"_

The three of them looked at the direction where the voice came from. It was from the inside the palace. It was Ascot, running towards them.

"Let's go. I heard that Master Clef has some news to tell us…" he said as he neared them.

"About those girls? All right, Ascot. Lead us!" Ferio, who was obviously happy, said. He had been waiting of ay news from the Magic knights but for the past years, none came. And Clef had been doing all he can about it.


	3. Fly Fly Back to the New Cephiro

**Chapter Three**

Fly! Fly Back to the New Cephiro!

"You really mean that? We can go back there right now if we just will our selves there?" Umi asked. Umi and Fuu still find it hard to believe what Hikaru told them. Due to Hikaru's insistence, the three of them were standing in the same spot in Tokyo Tower where the light that summoned them to Cephiro has appeared.

"_We can go back… to Cephiro? After four long years we can go back… finally I can see Ferio again… and everyone…" _Fuu thought and closed her eyes. Lost in her thoughts.

"Yes, what do you think? Should we try to will our selves again? There's nothing wrong in trying, you know…" Hikaru said excitedly.

"But…what if it's just a normal _dream_…you know, something that has been influenced by your subconscious mind…" Umi said, trying to make Hikaru tell the truth. After all, they have tried to go back for many, many times – to which she already lost count of – and nothing positive happened. What they only saw was a vision of Cephiro which happened a year after they've left that magical and unforgettable land…

"What do you mean? It wasn't true?"

"Umi has a point." they heard Fuu interrupted. "Hikaru, were you thinking about Cephiro before you went to sleep last night?" she asked.

Hikaru nodded. Her face showed utter disappointment. "I never forgot them… every night I always think of them and wish I could see them again. But…" Hikaru looked into the ground, trying to hide her face as she sinks her teeth into her lower lip to suppress her tears. Fuu and Umi looked at her with equal sadness in their eyes.

"Hikaru, you mustn't be disappointed…I mean, we all miss them but we couldn't see them... What's important is that we've never forget them…" Umi said, trying to ease Hikaru's frustration.

"It felt so real… even though the Master Clef I saw in my dream was so different. I want to see them again… I want to try it again… After all, we've tried it so many times that we're already used to the feeling we get each time we fail…"

"I agree with Hikaru, Umi let's do it. I- I want to see them again… I know you also feel the same..." Fuu talked before Umi could say anything.

Umi looked at Fuu, then to Hikaru who was looking at her hoping to hear what she expects her to answer. "Uh… okay. I think you're both right."

The three then held their hands together and concentrated on going to Cephiro. But nothing is happening after a few minutes of trying. Then, with their stares interlocked to each other, they had a silent agreement to try again. Again, nothing happened.

"Sorry…" Hikaru muttered. "You're right…it's just a dream. It wasn't true… We can't go back anymore…"

Umi held Hikaru's hand tighter when the latter tried to get her hands off her grip. "Umi?"

"Let's try again." Umi insisted. "Let's try again…let's give it our all this time!" Her face was determined. She was the first one to close her eyes tightly. "Please…"

"Let us see Cephiro once more…"

"I want to see Cephiro once more..."

Hikaru and Fuu followed afterwards…

A bright ray of light came out from the sky. People inside the Tokyo tower gasped and had to cover their eyes to protect it from the blinding light it gave off. The bright light didn't last long; the people continued enjoying the scenery from the tower. No one noticed what happened to the three beautiful girls who were gone after that blinding light…

oOo

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"Somebody! Save US!" Umi shouted as she falls from the sky of a familiar place. Right just above her is Hikaru, who was shouting like a maniac, her eyes almost popping out of its place. The three girls thought they were about to die when they saw the same fish from before approaching them. They were relieved to know that they're now safe. In front of them fell their bags. Their excitement could not be hidden as the fish went inside the big castle's front door.

"Help!"

Umi and Fuu looked in to the direction of the voice. It was Hikaru, lying on her back and was struggling to get off of the jam-packed bag lying on her back. Another yelp was heard when Fyula suddenly disappeared and they fell directly on the floor.

"Ouch! Oh, Gigantic Flying Fish! You should have let me get off you before disappearing like that!" Hikaru muttered. "This bag is so heavy! Umi, Fuu! Help me pleeeeeeeeeeeease!"

The two could not help but laugh at this. "You wouldn't be in that situation if you didn't bring that much stuff!" Umi said teasingly as she walks towards Hikaru and removed the bag on her back. "Ah! This bag is heavier than I thought!" she cried out massaging her aching shoulders.

"Oh thanks Umi! I can't believe it!" Hikaru ran near the entrance and looked at the beautiful vie outside. "Does it mean… my dream is real?"

"Yes, Hikaru… and everything we're seeing is real. The castle and the scenery outside, it's the same as before, no, it's even more beautiful as it was before!" Fuu confirmed, smiling brightly at the mesmerized Hikaru.

"But why is it that no one is welcoming us?" Umi asked.

"…. I don't know… maybe they didn't feel us coming!" Hikaru answered.

"Maybe they are busy… why don't we invite ourselves inside the palace?" Fuu suggested.

'Hey, Fuu! It's the first time I heard you saying that kind of suggestion…" Umi said teasingly.

"Is that a compliment, Umi?" Fuu asked with a timid smile.

"There is no need to do that Fuu…" they heard from someone who hides himself in the dark inside the palace.

"Huh? Who's that?" Umi asked demandingly. But the person just laughed.

"_This voice… It's familiar… this laugh… could it be?" _Fuu felt her pulses beat fast as she thought of who that mysterious person could be.

"It hurts me to know that you didn't recognize my voice, Fuu…" The person said. He finally revealed himself when he left his station.

"Oh!" Fuu couldn't say anything when she recognized the person. _"It's been so long… how could I forget him?"_

"Ferio!" Umi and Hikaru simultaneously called out.

"It was you who welcomed us again!" Hikaru said cheerfully.

Ferio laughed softly. "I'm glad that I saw all of you again! Especially you… Fuu" He said. Fuu couldn't hide her feelings anymore. Her tears started to fall and ran towards Ferio.

"Ferio… oh Ferio… I never thought I'd see you again…" she said between her sobs. Ferio answered it with a warm embrace.

"You know Fuu… I really missed you too… I've always wished that someday I can see you again and hold you… like this… I'm so glad Heaven has heard my prayers." Ferio whispered softly in her ears.

The other two who was obviously forgotten by the two lovers looked into each other and shrugged their shoulders as if saying: "We must not disturb them… they haven't seen each other for so long…" The two silently left them. They went all the way inside the castle. They are planning to come to Clef's study. They have a hunch that everyone is waiting for them there.

"Hikaru?" Umi called her when they were just almost few steps away from the big room's door.

"Yes, Umi?"

Umi stopped right at the front of the door. "I can't understand what I'm feeling… it's a mixed feeling… I'm excited and I'm also afraid…I don't know how to comprehend this feeling."

"Afraid? Of what?" Hikaru asked confused.

"_It's not what… It's who… _Oh, Hikaru! Forget that I said that… come on!" Umi tried to laugh and acted to knock on the door but before she could even do that, the door opened itself.

Umi went inside the room with Hikaru who was nervous but happy. All the time they were approaching the room, only one person filled her thoughts. _"Will he be happy seeing me again?" _she thought as the door fully opened, showing them the interior of the room.

Inside the room were Presea, Caldina, Ascot, Lafarga, Lantis and Master Clef who was standing before his seat. Everyone was looking intently at them. All were smiling except for Lantis who remained poker faced.

Hikaru who happened to be looking at Lantis tried to hide her frustration. _"You idiot! What are you imagining? That he would run to you and say he missed you?"_ she scolded herself.

"Hikaru! Umi! It's nice you to see you two again!" Caldina cried out as she and Presea run to them.

"Where is Fuu?" Presea asked.

"She's with Ferio… we left them at the palace entrance for privacy." Umi answered. How is everybody anyway?"

"We're all fine! Why don't we go near them? They are also excited to talk with you!" Presea invited. They went near the others. Hikaru remained looking down avoiding Lantis' eyes.

"I'm glad that you were able to come back." Master Clef greeted. Umi blushed hearing Clef's voice.

"We're also glad to see you all. Until now, I can't believe …" she said and called Hikaru's attention who suddenly became silent. "Hey, aren't you gonna say something?"

"Huh? Oh yes… I'm so happy that I was able to see you all again… ever since we came back, I have always wished that I could come back again but that remained a wish… But now I'm really glad… I'm so happy that I wanted to cry seeing you all again…" Hikaru said with tears starting to form in her eyes.

Hikaru's ability to give life to every word she says was one of her good traits. Everyone in the room was delighted at her words. These people all missed the magic knights and wished almost everyday to see them again and it was now granted.

But for Hikaru, the excitement and joy she felt were all gone. However, she was trying to make herself look cheerful in front of these people. It should be a happy reunion. She would confront her sadness later. She would ask later.

Lantis threw a short glance towards the crimson-haired girl beside the other Magic Knight. He knew he had seen her before since he was there during the war between the countries who tried to get qualified to be the pillar. He couldn't remember her but he felt strange when he saw her. Noticing that hidden sadness in her eyes, his arms wanted to reach out to her. And why does he feel guilty? His mind wanted to tell him something but he couldn't understand it… what was it?

It was then that Hikaru happened to glance at Lantis. And their eyes met… _"Don't cry…"_ Lantis wanted to say but he controlled himself. Hikaru, her cheeks turning into red, looked away quickly. Lantis was left there, staring at her. She was wearing a white tank top and a carnation pink skirt with small curls on the edge. It reached down her elbows and moves with her every movement. Her hair was in a ponytail. Surely, Lantis liked the sight of her simplicity. But his eyes attention caught the circle pendant on her neck…_"It was the pendant my mother had given me… I've been looking for it. Strange… I don't remember giving it to her… or maybe I gave it to her before, but why?"_

Hikaru who was busy chatting with the rest of them kept looking without too much obviousness to Lantis who didn't make any single move towards them… _her._ She didn't know that Presea noticed her and had a sympathetic look on her face. "_Poor Hikaru… she does not deserve this…"_

_"It's a good thing I decided not to make my move… but why didn't he even greeted me? Oh! I almost forgot he's been like that ever since I first met him… but really I didn't expect this kind of treatment…"_ Hikaru felt sad inside but tried to hide it not to ruin the mood of the other people there.

oOo

"Why do I feel like this every time he's near? For all these years… I thought I totally forgot him but I was wrong… totally wrong! Oh Poor me… I'm hopelessly in love with the man I know who won't love me back…" Umi thought as she sneak a glance to the man who had owned her heart a long time ago…

Master Clef felt someone looking at him. He glanced at Umi's direction where he felt it but he saw he was not even looking at him.

_"Umi..."_ Clef knew her feelings towards him ever since their second visit to Cephiro. He felt it. He could feel how her heart beats faster when the two of them is near to each other but he know a long time ago that he could not love Umi. _"I am sorry... I hope you have already forgotten your feelings about me..."_


	4. Painful Truth ABout LAntis and Desma

**Chapter Four**

The Painful Truth about Lantis and the Girl Desma

"Fuu hasn't come back." Umi said after they were left alone in Hikaru's room.

"Don't worry Umi, Ferio's with her. Nothing bad will happen to her." Hikaru said with a sigh. The sad, painful expression on her face never left her after Presea told her the truth.

"Hey, are you okay?" Umi asked sensing Hikaru's sadness.

"Yeah… I'm just tired…." Hikaru answered and lay down on her bed without changing her clothes.

"I don't believe you… was it what Presea told you that made you upset?" Umi asked and sat beside Hikaru's bed. "You can tell me if you want…"

"Presea told me that Lantis had an accident two months ago and that his memory was lost…" Hikaru said with a trembling voice. "And she said that a certain girl named Desma saved him and recently they… she said they just noticed that they're like _a couple._"

"Presea shouldn't have told you that…" Umi commented.

"It wasn't her fault… I asked who saved him and the moment I heard her name… I felt it… Umi, maybe Lantis didn't loved me in the first place, you know… maybe he just said that because he wanted me to be happy, _because_ I'm a Magic Knight who was trying to save Cephiro and he wanted to pay me back for what I was doing for Cephiro…" Hikaru said trying to look calm.

"I don't think Lantis is that kind of person… why don't you go talk to him? Tell him about you and him…" Umi suggested.

"He won't believe me… and even if he did, it will be of no use…he can't remember me anymore…_and we weren't able to start anything before, except, saying "I love you" to each other…"_

"But why?"

"I don't know Umi…"

"Oh… Hikaru… how can we help you?" Umi said sympathetically.

"It's okay Umi… you have done so much for me… I don't even know how to repay you… and also Fuu…" Hikaru said as she smiled reassuringly to her friend.

"Umi, about that time when we were still outside the room… uh… I felt there's something bothering you… can you at least tell me what it is?" Hikaru asked after

"Hikaru… you're right but I don't think I can talk about it for now… I'm sorry… I want to tell you but I'm still confused…"

"It's okay… but if you think you can't handle it and you want someone to cry on… you can always count on me, okay?" Umi nodded and smiled at this.

oOo

"LANTIS!!! LANTIS!!!" shouted Primera who have been looking for Lantis for at least an hour. "Oh, there he is!!!" She found Lantis sitting on the branch of the tree at the garden outside the castle.

"Lantis, I heard the Magic Knights arrived. Have you seen them already?" Primera asked.

"Yes" was Lantis' answer.

"Did you remember them?"

"No… but… _they are familiar to me especially the redheaded one…"_

"Lantis… I have to tell you something about Hikaru…" Primera was saying this with a sad look in her face. _"It will hurt me but it's better for him… he should know about Hikaru before he falls in love to that girl…"_

"What is it?"

"Uh… Hikaru is-"But before she could start someone called out on Lantis, - it was Desma. "Oh here she is again! Hmp!!"

"Oh there you are…Lantis!" Desma went near them and smiled at Primera's sullen face.

"What do you want? Are you blind not to seeing us busy having a conversation?" Primera asked impolitely.

"I am sorry Primera… I just came here to see and talk with Lantis…" Desma was saying this with a forced smile and looked at Primera sharply.

"Lantis, about Hikaru…" Primera said trying to divert Lantis' attention to her.

"Primera, you can tell me about it later…" Lantis said and Primera already know what he meant by this. Primera left without saying anything.

"Lantis!" Desma suddenly threw her arms to Lantis after Primera left.

"Why?" Lantis asked her, sensing that she has a problem.

"I was just worried. I'm afraid. Tell me you love me, please…" Desma said who was now hugging him.

"What is it Desma? I don't understand what you're saying…" Lantis asked again returning her warm embrace. _"Why can't I feel the same feeling she has for me? I don't feel any warmth each time we are this close…" _Lantis thought.

"Never mind… Just hug me tightly…" Desma whispered.

Lantis did as she asked. He took Desma's other hand and enclosed it to his hand._ "There's still nothing… I shouldn't be feeling this way…" _he thought but continued holding her hands.

oOo

Inca looked at her friend who was sulking around the corner of her room. "What is your problem, Desma? You didn't move from there ever since you arrived after going to Lantis…"

She sat near Desma. "Is it Primera again? I told you don't mind her, she's just an insect who was trying her best to make Lantis love her!" she laughed sarcastically. "Which will never happen! A bug can't beat you!"

"No, it's not her this time… it's the magic knights, I found out that they arrived just this morning…"

"Yeah, I already knew it… everybody was talking about it outside. But why are you angry with them?"

"I'm afraid that everything I've done to go this far will go to nothing… Inca, I-"

"I know you already love him but Desma, you must not forget your mission! The _Master_ already predicted all the possible things that may happen! I know it's hard for you to do this job but remember your promise to the _Master_!"

"Primera once told me that Lantis will never love me because of one girl… that girl was one of the magic knights, the magic knight of fire, the one they call 'Hikaru'…" Desma ignored Inca and continued talking. "I already saw her, you know? We have the same color f hair… but what I'm curious about is what's special about her that made Lantis love her? There's nothing special about her except her being a magic knight! Huh! As far as I remember, she could not even be called beautiful!"

"_She won't listen to me now! I should just talk to her later…" "_Are you sure? Every one was saying how beautiful the magic knights are! Everybody knows how good her heart was, remember she was the chosen Pillar of Cephiro… and that means she's special!" Inca said with envy.

"I don't care about her being the pillar! She gave it up four years ago! So now she's just simply but a magic knight! I don't care if she saved Cephiro! And besides there mission's already been finished. Why do they have to come back? I just hate her! And if I have to compete with her, I will, if it means that I can have Lantis! And I'll make sure I will win!"

"Then, do it! Come, I'll make you beautiful tonight so that everyone will look only at you!" Inca smiled evilly at this…

oOo

"Do I have to come along with you guys? Can't I just stay here and sleep? I'm tired…" Hikaru was saying this while Umi and Fuu are helping her to get ready at the party of the mayor of Sefir, one of the town's of Cephiro.

"Hikaru, all of the people here are dying to see us, especially you, the pillar of Cephiro." Umi put her hand on her waist as she was saying this. She looked at Hikaru's beautiful dress to make sure it was okay. Fuu is already finished styling Hikaru's hair.

"Oh, Hikaru you're even more beautiful wearing your hair down like that! I already saw you in a beautiful party dress before at my birthday, but today is different!" Umi said admiring her friend.

"Really? Umi, you don't have to act like that just to encourage me… I know I'm not really beautiful…" Hikaru said blushing.

"Hikaru, Umi's right you're beautiful! You have grown taller too, you're almost as tall as I am and it emphasized you're gown more!" Fuu opposed what Hikaru said. "You're a natural beauty!"

"Wow! What a sight… I'm sure all eyes will be on you three tonight!" Ferio who was on the door said suddenly. Behind him were Caldina and Presea who were also dressed beautifully and Lafarga who was wearing his usual armor.

"Ferio!" all three girls called out.

"Hey, Hikaru here sure looks different! You should always do that often. It's beautiful…" Presea praised.

"See, what we told you? Maybe we should be going… it's not good for us to be late. People might get the wrong impression to us!" Fuu said. Everyone agreed and left for the party.

oOo

"I'm very excited to see the magic knights… I just hope they arrive soon!" one of the Cephirian attending the party voiced out his feelings.

"Yeah! My brother who works in the palace said they transformed into a beautiful ladies that he didn't even recognized them!" a fat woman replied. Everyone who heard it felt more excited to see the magic knights.

"_Hmp! Everyone here is talking about those magic knights! Beautiful ladies?! Huh! Well let's see once they arrive!" _Desma who was there behind the group was listening and cursing each time she hears every admiration the folks give to the magic knights.

"Oh, Desma! There you are!" A woman older than her approached.

"Oh Madame Milia, good evening! I thought you don't feel good that you decided to stay in your room?" Desma asked the woman who was still younger looking despite her age.

"I heard the magic knights would arrive tonight. As the town mayor's wife and woman of the house, I shouldn't be absent to greet them." The woman explained. "Child, you look wonderful tonight… is it for someone else?"

Desma blushed. "It's for Lantis. Did he arrive already? I want to go talk to him…"

"He's there. He's just arrived." Madame Milia answered.

Desma smiled evilly. _"I'll make sure to tear her heart out! After all, she's my mission…"_

"So you're here? I never thought you'd come but I'm glad that you did…" Desma said who took her seat beside Lantis.

"I promised the mayor that I would come _this_ time." Lantis said smiling a little to the girl who looked stunning on her beautiful dress.

"I don't see Primera anywhere, where is she?" she asked trying not to bore Lantis.

"I don't know. She did not show up since yesterday." Lantis said.

Desma was somehow felt hurt at his short reply. Ever since the magic knights' arrival, everything became worse. She could feel his confusion. She could feel him becoming more distant and cold…

After a few minutes, the atmosphere inside the party changed. It was because the Magic Knights have arrived.

Desma looked at Lantis who was looking at the door where three beautiful girls were entering. They were behind Lafarga and Caldina. "Are they…?" Desma was about to ask Lantis when suddenly it became noisy there. Every one were either clapping or praising the magic knights.

"Oh my… they are so gorgeous! They were so different now!" A man on his late fifties exclaimed.

"I never thought I could still see them after all this years! I've been wanting to thank them!" a woman who obviously his wife added.

Desma darted her eyes to Lantis and realized Lantis was staring intently to one of the magic knights, the redheaded one, Hikaru. _"So she is Hikaru…" _Desma eyed Hikaru from foot to head then smirked. She saw the mayor and his wife approached the magic knights and gladly shakes hands with them. She looked at Lantis but he was not in his chair anymore. Desma felt more anger to the magic knights, especially the one who was obviously the reason Lantis left.

oOo

The party was being held lively. But none of them knows what the future holds… no one knows of something evil approaching them… evil that is coming…back… strong…full of vengeance…

"_Power… I need more power!!! Soon…soon… all will be mine… again!!!!"_

Master Clef woke up from his sleep. He was sweating heavily and felt sicker after he felt the _presence_. He was not able to attend the party because he felt tired of many tasks that he had to rest.

"_What was it? Someone is giving off a source of negative energy… it is strong enough that I was able to feel it! But who was it and why? Is Cephiro in danger again? Where is it coming from?"_

Master Clef raised his staff. The staff gave off a bright light and this light formed into a small oblong shape and an image was forming from it. It was an image of Cephiro…

"_Where is it coming from?" _The image changed into another. It showed a place with many people… _"It was Mayor Remo's house where a party is being held… but why?" _Master Clef looked who was the source of the negative energy but before he could find it, it suddenly vanished and could not be felt anymore no matter how he tries. _"It was gone… whoever it was felt that I'm looking for it!"_

"_He is indeed the strongest mage in Cephiro that he even felt that "small" form of energy…" _the owner of the "presence" laughed evilly. _"But he won't be able to find me until I'm strong enough to destroy the magic knights and all of Cephiro!!!"_


	5. A New Enemy!

**Chapter Five**

New Enemy, Gastonia

Hikaru made her way to the back door and found out there was a huge fountain outside and sat at one of the chairs not far from it. She went out to clear out some unwanted emotions from her whole system… The Mayor's house was big enough to accommodate many people and yet she feels suffocated inside and she knows why… She saw Lantis with a beautiful girl who she guessed was Desma. She saw them as they went inside the house but pretended she didn't see them. Her heart felt heavy… she thought she could handle it but she was wrong… it hurt her. After all these years she took good care of her love for Lantis… only to find out it was for nothing…

"_Hikaru, Lantis only lost his memories… but it doesn't mean he doesn't love you anymore…" _she heard Umi's reassuring words in her head.

"_It is true Miss Hikaru… I do not know Lantis very much but I think he's not the kind of guy who would just forget someone who's so important to him. Why don't you talk to him and clear everything to him? Miss Hikaru..." _another was Fuu's advice.

She remembered their sad and worried faces at that time and it makes her want to cry. _"I'm making them worry too much…"_

oOo

Lantis made it possible that Hikaru will not feel his presence anymore just like a moment ago… He's been watching her since she went out and sat there. He was about to leave then but the sad look and weariness in her made him stay and watch her for a while… _"Hikaru…"_

oOo

Above Cephiro's surface will be seen a familiar _submarine_ shaped battleship arriving… it was the NSX, the ship of Commander Eagle of Autozam who tried to get hold of the Pillar System…

"It's been a long time since we last came here!" a twenty-year-old lad whose excitement was shown in his face said.

"Yeah, after the battle, we were given another assignment and the Autozam government has taken care of the agreement between our country and Cephiro, Zasu." The tall muscular man beside him answered, it was Geo.

"It's so nice to be back here after many years… you know what, I don't think it's a bad idea that we decided to spend our vacation here, you know?" Zasu replied.

Geo was about to answer when suddenly the ship controller called out to them. The Controller told them that a big battleship is also residing above Cephiro's atmosphere, not far from where they are.

"I think that battleship is familiar! It's from the planet called Gastonia! But what is that ship doing here?!" Zasu said loudly after checking the battleship.

"I don't know. But to think that they used a very big and powerful _battleship_ in going here, they must be up to something…" Geo said

"Don't tell me they're planning to invade Cephiro at this point of time? They should have done that before when Cephiro's in chaos! They're crazy!" Zasu added.

"We will know the answer to that once we are inside Cephiro's castle." Geo answered smiled.

"Yeah." Zasu understood what he meant. "Prepare the NSF301; the commander will go down at Cephiro's ground." He announced.

oOo

Hikaru was silently watching Lantis who was sitting in branch of a big tree in the castle's garden outside. Finally, she decided to take her friends' advice to approach Lantis and talk to him. But as she was ready to step inside the garden, she felt someone was with her at that moment. She turned at that "someone" and saw that it was the girl who was with Lantis that night at the party.

"Hello…" the girl greeted with a smile. She was beautiful and a redhead like her.

"Hi…" Hikaru returned her greeting with short reply. She didn't know why but she didn't feel talking to the girl. She was surprised at this. This is "soooo" not like her! Before, she could easily get along with anyone.

The girl just smiled but Hikaru know she's secretly eyeing her now. "I'm Desma." The girl offered her hand for a handshake.

"Umm_…_I'm Hikaru Shidou but you can just call me Hikaru. It's nice meeting you." And accepted her handshake.

"You're one of the Magic Knights!!! I didn't know you were one of them!!! You're so _pretty_" Desma pretended that she was glad to see Hikaru and of course the knight blushed at the compliment. "So are you here to talk with someone?" Desma seriously asked.

"Ah… it's- no, of course not. I just passed by and decided to stay here 'because this place is so beautiful…" Hikaru denied. "But it seems like someone is here already…" she added and looked at Lantis to tell her he was that someone.

"Oh, he's Lantis, he just like staying here all the time. He likes beautiful things just like the ones you're seeing here in the garden, birds, and flowers…" Desma looked at her before continuing. "Have you met him? You know…I'm so lucky I got to know him…We're sort of like a couple now…" Desma said with a contented look in her face. To show Hikaru, Lantis is hers.

Hikaru tried to hide the pain though she doubted she could hide it. "I had known him before. But I haven't talked to him since we arrived. I was always with Caldina and the others." Hikaru answered. "Uh… I think you're lucky having him. He's a great guy…_Why did I said that?!"_

"Yeah… he's so nice to me. He's always making me feel like I'm the happiest woman in Cephiro. He's just great!" Desma added while he's looking lovingly to Lantis. "Oh sorry, I think I have to go now… I promised to bring him these fruits… he loves it." Desma bid farewell to Hikaru.

"It's okay…" Hikaru shot Lantis a sad look before leaving. She went to Clef's study only to find everybody except Lantis is there.

oOo

"I was about to call on you, Hikaru. There's something all of you must know." Master Clef said with a serious look in his face.

"What is it?" she asked as she stands beside her friends.

"Where's Lantis? You're not with him?" Caldina asked. Umi told them that Hikaru could be a little late in the meeting because she's gonna talk with Lantis. Umi warned Caldina but it was already late.

"Me? With Lantis? Why should I?" Hikaru blushed at Caldina's question.

"I'm here." They heard Lantis' who was entering the room. Hikaru looked at him with questioning eyes. _"Isn't Desma with him?"_ she asked herself. Lantis felt her stare and looked at her. Hikaru looked down and tried to hide her blushing cheeks. He went to the remaining place where he could stand, between Hikaru and Lafarga. Without anyone noticing, he shot the blushing girl standing in his right a quick glance. He knew everything about her from the past battle, thanks to Primera's help.

"Now that everyone is here I can start the meeting." Clef said. Clef moved his magic staff above the crystal ball. It showed something.

"A battleship, I guess…" Fuu said.

"Yes. A battleship. A battleship from Gastonia." Clef said.

"Gastonia? _What_ is that? I mean _where_ is that?" Umi asked curiously.

"It is the second nearest country from Cephiro. Unfortunately, their battleship is somewhere in Cephiro's atmosphere. I couldn't detect where it is now, they're using magic, a powerful one to hide themselves.

"Excuse me, master Clef… but I don't remember hearing Gastonia at the previous battle, does it mean that there are other planets here in your world but did not decide to take part in seizing Cephiro's Pillar System?" Hikaru asked timidly.

"Yes. You are right about that, Hikaru." Clef answered.

"You see there are nine powerful planets here in our world. It includes Cephiro, Autozam, Fahren and Chizeta. The other five are Loria and Coron in the two sides of Chizeta, Orbia, Hearion and… Gastonia." Presia explained.

"Just like Cephiro, Gastonia is a peaceful land that uses magic. Just like Cephiro, Will controls everything in their land. The only thing that differ us from them _before_ was the "Pillar System" which you have abolished four years ago. They have a princess but she's free to have her own happiness. Together with the will of their people, they make Gastonia a very strong country, reason why they did not invade Cephiro before. They did not need anything from us." Master Clef added.

"But what does it has to do with there residing here in Cephiro? I'm confused." Ferio asked.

"I learned that Gastonia is in chaos. A small war inside the country started it. But this war spread, became bigger, worser and affected the whole country. It is now in the same situation as we were four years ago. I believe they are here in search of an answer to all the problems." Lafarga informed them.

Umi gasped at this. "Then does that mean…"

"…They are here in Cephiro to invade us?" Fuu added.

Everyone in the room fell in silence and engaged in a deep thought.

"…Or maybe they're here to seek our help… Master Clef, could that be possible?" Hikaru said breaking the silence. She has that worried look in her face.

Master Clef looked at her. It was the same look she had when she found out about Cephiro's situation when Princess Emeraude was abducted by Zagato (MKR season 1). Sympathy…

"What made you think about that, Hikaru?" Clef asked.

"It's because… you said that they're a _"peaceful land that uses their will to control everything"_, if they can use their Will just like the Cephirians, then they're also… good people…" she reasoned.

"She has a point, you know…" Caldina agreed.

"If they're here for that reason, then is it possible to help them?" Fuu asked.

"Yes, of course. Cephiro can help them. But we are not yet sure of their intentions especially that they haven't contacted us yet."

Everyone felt silent again. They are all confused and worried about Gastonia's intention.

oOo

GASTONIA battleship…

"_This is a big surprise… I never thought Cephiro is this beautiful… This land… which will be mine…soon…"_ A man standing at the big window of his throne room inside the battleship was thinking.

"Master Leodor, I am here just as you asked." A woman who was on his knees called on.

"Is everything in motion already, Brigida?" The man asked.

"Yes. Everything as you had planned is now being worked by our people." The woman answered. The woman reported everything to him. "Desma, the one you entrusted to do the most important task, I think, has failed and fell in love with the man named, Lantis, Cephiro's Magic Swordsman."

"Isn't that a big threat to us? She may leak out some information to that man." Leodor said in a loud angry voice.

"Her disguise is not discovered yet. I assure you that there is nothing for you to worry. I'll make sure Desma's doing her job very well." Brigida said calmly.

"Great. You are as reliable like as ever. But tell Desma to go back and her job is finished. I'll be the one to do the job. You can go now."

The woman abruptly left.

"_Soon… all of these will be mine. Including "her"… we have to take control of her so that everything will be mine! HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!"_

oOo

"This is all for now. I will call upon you if there is any further development about _these._" Master Clef dismissed everybody except Hikaru. "Hikaru can you stay here if you may? There is something I want to talk with you."

"_What is it that he wants to talk with me?"_ Hikaru asked herself before he nodded. "Umi, Fuu… I will just catch up with you later."

"Yeah, see you later. We will be staying in the garden with Caldina and Presea." Umi said as she and Fuu were heading to the door. And what was that emotion she has seen in her eyes? Is she sad? Is her eyes were about to cry?

"Hikaru, there's something I want to talk with you. But first, I will show you something…" Master Clef started after the two of them were alone. He has that serious look on his face.

Master Clef tapped the end point of his magic staff in the ground then a white light surrounded them. The next thing Hikaru knew was that she's already in a very familiar place.

"This is the crown room…" Hikaru was surprised to find herself in the crown room.

"Yes, you are in the crown room…" Master Clef confirmed. Before Hikaru could ask anymore question, Master Clef aimed his hand where the ring is worn on one of his fingers. The ring is one of the magic items that can open the door to the crown room. A bright blinding light emerged from the sides of the crown room's door then disappeared.

"What the…?" Hikaru muttered under her breath. What he saw was…


	6. Memories an Love Forgotten 1

**Chapter Six**

Memories and Love Forgotten 1

Lantis suddenly turned to his side as he felt a very powerful source of energy. It is coming from the topmost floor of the castle. He sensed Master Clef's spiritual energy and another familiar one…Hikaru.

"_Earlier, Master called on Hikaru to stay to talk to her about something… is it about the pillar system?" _as he thought of the answer, he felt a pang of fear inside his heart. He can't understand the feeling. He felt like there's something he must do to stop whatever is happening in the crown room…

"Lantis? Are you okay?" Desma who was with him under the tree having a conversation asked. She's afraid that whatever is happening to Lantis may ruin her moment with him.

But Lantis could not hear anything anymore. He was already fully absorbed on what is happening on his mind now.

_Lantis found himself inside the castle of Cephiro. He looked outside one of the castle windows only to see… nothing. The trees, flowers and everything, he could not see it out side. The sky outside is dark, rain, falling from the sky…_

"_Lantis… I'm sorry but I love you..." __heard a faint voice somewhere. It was a girl's voice. A familiar one. Full of sorrow…_

"_Huh? What was that? Who was that?" Lantis thought. He looked around and saw an only door at the far end of the corridor where he is standing. He ran to it and saw a man and two women inside. It seems that none of them felt his presence… He recognized the blonde woman as Presea. Lantis walked near them only to be surprised at what he saw… the man was holding an unconscious familiar girl and the man holding her was __him__!!! _

_The girl was Hikaru!_

oOo

Hikaru couldn't take her eyes away in looking at the beautiful crown inside the crown room. It was so beautiful. It has a big red diamond shaped _ruby_ in the crown. Two other rubies but smaller in size were in both sides of the diamond. The remaining part of the golden circlet was decorated with small sparkling diamonds. No part of the crown is not beautiful. And Hikaru could not understand herself why, in her heart, she yearns to hold the crown and wear it.

"Hikaru… go inside the crown room. You have the right to touch it and even wear it if you want." Master Clef interrupted her thoughts.

"Eh? I- I don't understand… what do you mean, Master Clef?" Hikaru asked confusedly as she looks at the crown room and noticed that the water protecting the room is already moving violently. Small particles of it where splashing on the walls.

"The violent reaction of the water since your arrival is a proof that the owner of the crown is near. There's no one that is worthy enough to become the owner crown but YOU, Hikaru, young magic knight summoned here from another world…" Master Clef read her thought and explained.

"The Pillar system has been abolished at the last battle Master Clef, but why is the crown of the pillar exists? It's so confusing…"

"Hikaru, the crown is a proof that you are the princess of Cephiro… only the system is abolished… Hikaru, you still have the power to lead Cephiro as its Princess, as its _guide…_ I know it's a tough decision for you but you must know about it. For the past years, people were confused as to who will stand as Cephiro's support… I cannot be that person; it was not in my line of duty and I follow that rule. Ferio who can take that position doesn't want it. I'm afraid this confusion may lead to something bad… I don't know but I have a bad feeling about it… you must decide Hikaru… "

"Master Clef… I- still have to think about it… I'm not yet ready to give an answer to that. Please give me some time…"

"But-"

"Please, Master Clef… "

"Okay... but Hikaru you must make it fast… That battleship from Gastonia… I have a bad feeling about it…" Master Clef with a serious look on his face.

oOo

Hikaru was still confused as she walks towards the garden where Umi said they will be staying… on the way she saw Lantis walking towards her or maybe at the direction where she came from. It was in that direction that Lantis' room is located. His face was in pain and he was walking very slowly. Suddenly, he stopped and gripped his head. She worriedly ran to him. "Are you okay?" she asked

Surprise was written all over his face upon seeing her. He even looked a little bit pale. "You don't feel good?" she asked worriedly again.

Lantis didn't reply and just walked past her. "Lantis! If you don't feel good… don't hide it! You're making me worry…" Hikaru said misty eyed. She waited for him to say something but he just continued on walking and so she did something that she didn't know she could do. She ran to Lantis who has his back on her and embraced him. Tightly. And unknowingly tears sprung from eyes. Like a fountain, it won't stop from falling…

Lantis stopped as soon as he felt Hikaru's small arms around his waist. His heart, in that instant, raced rapidly. He could feel her heavy breathing and sobs but did nothing to console her.

"I don't know what really happened to you. They said you had an accident and lost your memory. Lantis, I was one of those memories you have forgotten… But there's only one thing I know… I still love you Lantis… Please tell me, how you feel about me, now? If you don't love me anymore unlike what you said before, it's okay; all I want to know is what's going to happen to us now…" Hikaru managed to say between her sobs.

"What do you want me to feel? Do you want me to say "I love you" even if I'm not sure? But that won't be fair… Hikaru, there are so many things I want to know on my own… it seems like all of my memories were gone. I don't even know myself anymore that's why I'm so confuse. But if you want an answer now then I'll give it to you…"

Hikaru held her breath. She want to know what he would say but her mind tells her to stop him. "I don't remember anything about me telling you that I love you before. And even if it's true, I'm not sure if I could still love you like I did before… I don't…"

Hikaru, though she perceived that that would be his answer. But it was so painful…

"Then, I think it would be better for the two of us to forget each other… Don't worry I won't bother you anymore. Being with me around makes you more confused, right?" After that she turned her back to him and ran.

Lantis watched Hikaru's retreating figure. His heart tells him to run after her but there many memories are now coming back to him and he couldn't' still comprehend what it meant… or maybe his heart is refusing what the memories are showing him. _"Why only now? What should I do?" _Lantis thought and his memory came back to the day he had first seen Desma…

oOo

_He suddenly got up from the bed when he realizes that he's not on his same bed anymore. He looked around the room. It was small, too small for a man his size. The whole room was made up of wood from an oak tree. There was a small table covered with a pale violet cloth and a base full of white roses is in its center. The bedcover together with the curtains are also in a shade of violet._

_He was still observing the room when he saw someone entered the door covered only with also a violet curtain. It was a woman. A beautiful one with a radiant smile plastered on her face. But what caught his attention the most is that the woman was redheaded. Something was trying to get into his mind but couldn't remember it." Good morning! I'm glad you're awake." The woman greeted him. She was carrying a tray with foods for him. _

"_Hikaru…" he mumbled. After that, he felt his head ached that he had to go back to the bed and sit or else he will collapse._

_The woman looked at him with curious eyes. "What did you say?" she asked as she approached him. "You mustn't stand… you are badly injured so you must take a rest." She told him with concern and persuaded Lantis to sit down. _

"_I'm fine. Who are you? What happened to me? Where am I?" He asked while holding her head._

"_I saw you at the river near the ravine, unconscious. I assumed, from the way everything there looked, that you fell from the top of the ravine. How you remained alive after the fall, that I don't know." The girl said. "Anyway, I am Desma." The girl offered her hands to which Lantis only stared. "And you?"_

_Lantis could only look at the girl. "I am Lantis."_

_Lantis stayed there for few more days to fully recover and to the delight of the girl who was obviously living alone in that area. There were times that Lantis is thinking about the past, which makes him more relax. At the thought of the memories he had at the past, some of it he could feel happy, feel sad and everything._

_At that particular day, Lantis went out to look around. "Cephiro's weather is the best." He thought. "I am sad at the death of the pillar and my brother but-"Lantis stopped. "What happened next? Why can't I remember it?" he asked himself anxiously. "I can't even remember why I met an accident?! Damn!"_

_Right after that incident that day, Lantis decided to come back to the castle. He plans to talk to Master Clef. _

"_Lantis…" Desma called out. He turned to face her and saw that she's near to cry. "Please, don't leave… I think I already…" She couldn't continue talking and remained looking down to the ground. Lantis thought she has nothing to say anymore and turned to leave when Desma ran to him and embraced him. "Don't leave… "_

_Lantis didn't know what to do so he just moved his hands to return her embrace. But it was just to comfort her. He didn't know she would misinterpret his actions…_

oOo

Umi is becoming more worried as the time passes. Hikaru has been gone too long.

"Hey, what do you think is the reason that Master Clef want to talk with Hikaru?" Umi asked.

Caldina and Presea looked to each other knowingly.

"What is it?" Fuu saw it and asked.

"Well, we are not sure but I think it has something to do with the crown?" Caldina said.

"Crown?" the two magic knights said at the same time.

"The Pillar's crown." Presea cleared out. She told them about the crown. Exactly like what Master Clef said.

"Is that true?" Fuu said.

"Are you really sure that Hikaru has to be Cephiro's princess?" Umi asked.

Presea nodded. "What if she refuses?" Umi asked again.

"We are afraid that confusion about who will be Cephiro's princess will rise. There is no one other than Hikaru which is more suitable to become Cephiro's princess…" Caldina answered. "It might lead to a war or something like that."

The two girls felt silent. "We understand. Don't worry we will do our best to help Cephiro. Let's just Hikaru's decision." Umi started with an understanding look on her face.

"No matter what her decision is, it will always be for the good of Cephiro…"

Caldina and Presea just nodded and smiled.

"Oh, there she is!" Umi announced when she saw Hikaru running towards them. "Hikaru?" she called her but Hikaru just continued walking not minding about her surrounding.

"What's wrong with her? Maybe, I should go with her and ask her." Umi was about to stand up when he felt Fuu hold her hand.

"I think we should let her be alone... for now." Fuu suggested.

"But..."

"Fuu's right. Let her be alone for now. Give her time to think. Don't worry, Hikaru will approach us if she could not handle everything herself." Presea added.

Umi agreed and went back on her seat. " I just hope she's alright."

"Come on, Umi. Cheer up. Don't make a face like that or else you'll look like an oldmaid in no time!" Caldina joked after a few silent moments.

"Caldina!" Umi glared at the laughing woman who was busy sipping on her own cup of tea.

"Hey! I was just kidding you!"

"Whatever!" Umi stood up and walked inside the palace without saying anything to them. Her mind was full of thoughts of Hikaru… Where is she now? What's taking her so long?

Umi walked down along corridor. Where she's going, that's what she's still thinking about it. That was when she heard a voice of a woman. Pleading. She was crying.

Umi looked where it came from. It was the room adjacent to the _creation room_ where Presea performed the dangerous spell to revive Hikaru's sword. She peeked inside. And she coulndn't believe what she saw!


	7. Clef's Secret:Umi's First HeartBreak!

**Chapter Seven**

Clef's Secret

Umi's First Heartbreak

Umi was going nuts waiting for Hikaru to come back and tell what her problem is, so, she left telling them that she would rest in her room. _"I really don't understand her. Is it really hard for her to accept that she needs to become Cephiro's princess? I'm going insane!" _Umi was talking to herself when she heard a woman crying and a man with a comforting tone of voice inside the room adjacent to the _creation room_ where Presea performed the dangerous spell to revive Hikaru's sword. The man's voice was very familiar to her.

"_Two people talking in a place like this? And this voice…could it be?" _she asked herself curiously. She went near the room, which was not slightly closed and peeked inside. At first, she saw a big mirror floating in mid-air at the center of the room, facing slightly on the door. She was surprised to see that inside the mirror was a very beautiful woman in very fine clothes. _"I never saw anyone as beautiful as this woman!" _she told herself. She distinguished that she was the owner of the woman's voice she heard a while ago. But Umi was more curious on the owner of the other voice, so she slowly and quietly pushed the door for her to have a better view inside the room.

Umi saw a man standing not far from the mirror with his back on her. He was tall and wearing a robe similar to someone she knew. The man looked at the mirror and said something that Umi didn't know would regret hearing later.

oOo

"You know how much I love you… but Aura, Cephiro is in danger because of us. We have to stop this. We have to stop loving each other. I don't want to see any more lives being sacrificed in a battle! Just as what happened to Presea!" the man said.

"No, I can't! I love you! For all this years I tried my best to forget you but I couldn't. Forgive me for saying this but let us think only for ourselves… at least just this once! I've had enough of all of this! I don't care anymore if there are lives to be sacrificed just like what happened before when Emeraude fell in love with Zagato…" the woman in the mirror said, tears streaming down her eyes.

"You know I can't. I love Cephiro… I would sacrifice anything just to save this world! Only you can stop this Aura… return to where you should be. Only you can stop all of this…" the man said sadly as he points his staff towards the mirror.

oOo

"_That staff!"_ Umi's eyes widened, surprised at what she saw and questions flowed out from her mind. _"It can't be! What's the meaning of this? Who's that man?_ Umi couldn't help but cry. Before she saw what the man did to the mirror, Umi went out of there, tears continuously falling from her eyes…

oOo

"No! Please… stop this! Please listen to me! I love you… Clef!" the woman in the mirror pleaded. She couldn't do anything toward Clef's magic.

"I am sorry Aura…sometimes we have to hurt ourselves to save those people that we love…" Clef said.

"But you said you love me too! Is that all a lie? I've waited for you all this years, Clef… please…" the woman continued her pleading but Clef didn't said anything. All she could see were his sad eyes telling her that he couldn't do anything anymore for her…

"You're so selfish… Clef you are so selfish!" she said as she stops pleading. She closed her eyes and waited until his magic approached the mirror, the only thing that can communicate them…

"I'm sorry… Aura." Clef muttered under his breath.

oOo

"No! It was not Clef! He isn't Clef!" Umi refused to believe what he saw. Umi was standing in front of her room's door. "Who was that woman?" she asked herself out loud.

"Umi?" a voice called out softly.

"Huh?" she turned around only to see Ascot standing in front of her, .

"Why are you crying?" Ascot asked worriedly.

"Nothing. Please leave me alone." Umi requested and turned her back on him to hide her tears even though Ascot already saw it.

"But Umi… I can't leave you alone like that." Ascot went near her and held her face. _"Even though I know you don't have any feelings toward me, I want to be at your side…"_

"Please Ascot, I want to be alone…."

"Umi, if you have any problems-"

"It's none of your business! Just leave me alone. Can't you understand it?" Umi shouted at him and ran before she could see Ascot's painful expression. But Ascot was persistent and ran after her, calling her repeatedly until Umi stopped, breathing heavily.

"Why can't you leave me alone?" she asked in a broken voice.

Ascot didn't know what to say. He wants to say that it's because he love her and he doesn't want to see her crying. "Umi, I just…I just want to be at your side. That's all." He answered instead. When he looked at her eyes, he saw how sad she is. If only he could do something that make her happy…

"You don't love me anymore?" Umi asked hesitantly.

Ascot didn't know what to do. He was not ready for this! "Umi, I-…"

"I thought you love me… you told me that before at the party…"Umi said. She could see how Ascot was surprised. "I said that?" was only he could say.

"Yes. Remember that time when you drunk too much wine? You said you're used to it but you were wrong… We even have to carry you in your room and then you said you love me before you slept…" she explained. She walked near the shocked Ascot and looked up into his eyes. "I should have loved you instead of Clef… I shouldn't be feeling this pain if I did. You wouldn't hurt me, right?" she asked as tears fell again from her eyes.

"He did this to you?" Ascot asked after regaining his self. He couldn't help the anger he's starting to feel to the Master Mage who made Umi cry like this. Umi hugged him and cried on his chest instead of answering. "Umi… I love you."

"Ascot… please teach me to love you. Teach me how to forget him." He heard Umi whispered as she tightens her embrace.

"Yes, I will. For you I will …" Ascot whispered as he embraced her tightly. He hoped they could stay like that forever…

oOo

"Master Clef! Master Clef!"

Fuu, Presea, Caldina heard a hysterical unfamiliar voice calling outside Clef's study room. They were there to report about an attack that was done by an _unknown _group at Graffo, one of Cephiro's towns. They have a strong feeling that the ship residing outside Cephiro's atmosphere has something to do with it. Lafarga went to the place to investigate what happened.

"Who was that?" Caldina asked her companions but none of them knew who the person was.

Presea directed her hands towards the door. The door instantly opened and revealed two men, Geo and Zasu accompanied by the two palace guards who were carrying a two unconscious persons. "What do these two need?" Presea asked the two guards.

" Please, let us in. I am Geo, the commander of the Autozam ship, which arrived here yesterday. We need your help. We found this guys unconscious and badly beaten in the forest not far from here. They need immediate medication." The brawny one said in a commanding voice before the guards could even answer.

Presea's attention turned to the guards carrying the unconscious persons. Shocked registered on her face. "Hikaru!" she recognized the redheaded one carried by one of the guards. Then she heard Fuu gasped.

"No! Ferio! It can't be!" Fuu cried his name and ran to him. "Ferio! Hikaru! What happened to them?" she asked the two guards.

"As I said, we just found them in the forest. Don't ask the guards. They don't know anything." Geo answered again.

"Put them here. Fuu, can you heal them with your magic?" Caldina called out there attention and pointing towards the big chair. Fuu nodded. The two guards went in the big chair and carefully laid them there. "I'll go look for Master Clef." Caldina went out of there before they could speak.

"_Damn! What in the world happened to them? Is it Gastonia's doing? But why?"_ Presea thought as she watches Fuu heal them. She was so worried. Fuu could only heal their wounds but how about the pains? From there appearance, it could easily be seen that the wounds they had was not ordinary. _"Caldina, hurry… they might not make it."_


	8. Secret Chronicle of Cephiro

**Again, I do not own this anime... I just want to thank those who gave their time to read my fanfic...and also those who gave their reviews. Thank you very much!!!! God Bless You All!!!! **

**I added some paragraphs on this chapter, sorry for the mistake i've made.**

**Chapter Eight**

The Secret Chronicle of Cephiro

Master Clef sat alone on his desk t the very center of the Room of Ages, holding a book entitled "The Secret Chronicle of Cephiro". The room can only be entered by the Present Master Mage of Cephiro and the Pillar. No magic of all kind can destroy the barrier that was protecting the room and only those who have permitted by the Master Mage and the Pillar can enter the room. The room contains all information about Cephiro. The books where these informations can be found are all written by the former mages of Cephiro. It is a big room, well lighted by an old Cephirian-styled chandelier hanged at the center of the artistically decorated ceiling of the room.

Despite the continuous aching on his head and his weaken state due to the whole night of healing Hikaru and Ferio, Master Clef couldn't bring himself to sleep. Healing those two in the same time used up most of his energy. He tried to sleep by drinking a sleeping potion but the Room of Ages, which was just beside his room and can only be entered from his room and the Pillar's room, was calling his name. He could feel it... the voice of the room. He went inside the room and he looked around to see if someone was there when a book from the one of the shelves near the door where he entered fell to the floor. He went to pick it up but the title of the book caught his attention. He swear to himself, he never saw the book before! For the hundred years of serving the country, he had already read all the books on that partiicular shelf and none of them has the title "The Secret Chronicle of Cephiro"! Even Cylan, the Master Mage of Cephiro before him never mentioned about the book nor told him about "Racius", the author of the book. "_Who is this Racius? Who is he to write this book? Is he one of the early mages of Cephiro? But I never heard of his name before."_ Those were questions he asked himself. The mystery of the sudden appearance of the book pushed him on reading of the book.

Master Clef inhaled deeply as he finally reached the remaining passages of the last page of thebook. It was clear to him now why the book appeared. It gave him a clue on what really is going on to Cephiro...

"_...the deity disappeared. We were left appalled by his decision. After the small war the twin sisters finally parted ways. Zipporah, with a heavy heart left us together with her loyal servants and citizens. She spent her remaining days as the Supreme Ruler of the new planet following the original law of the Pillar. Those who remained loyal to Ziara stayed and served under her. When the Day of the Crowning finally came, Ziara was crowned as the Supreme Ruler of Cephiro. Together with that event, the new Pillar System was followed. The heart of the Pillar will be sacrificed for the sake of the country's peace. After the Crowning, a bright blinding lighted emerged from the jewel of the beautiful crown. It hurt our eyes that we have to look away from it. Then I heard the voice of the Holy Deity. It was like a warning. He said:_

_The final judgment lies to the heart of the last Pillar. _

_Judgment lies on thine heart's pureness._

_Those who decided to left must never come back again._

_Otherwise, destruction of the land will arise._

_Nobody heard the Holy Deity except me. Until now, as I near the finality of this book, I still ask myself why it was only me. I decided to write this book in hope that this will serve as a warning for the final judgment of the country, which I will never be able to witness as day of my death is coming nearer."_

Master Clef closed the book. "_The final judgment lies to the heart of the last pillar...Who will come back? Why did it have to happen?"_ Master Clef's headache worsened as he continues to give more thought about it._ "I must tell this to Hikaru. She must decide now!"_

oOo

(Hikaru's Dream)

"_You must become the Princess!"_

Hikaru woke up from the whisper she just heard. _"Who are you?"_ she asked but the voice kept saying the same words. It becomes louder each time the voice repeats it. _"Who are you?" _she asked again. She looked around her surrounding and realized that only the darkness is there with her. She couldn't see anything or anyone, the voice's owner was nowhere to be found! It seemed like she was everywhere. Wherever she turns, the voice is there telling her the same words, commanding her and it makes her shiver inside. Suddenly, she was afraid of the dark. "_Stop it. Please! Stop it ! Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" _she shouted when she couldn't stand it any longer. (End)

"Stop it!" The voice finally stopped. Hikaru opened her eyes slowly, though she's afraid of what she'll be seeing.

Fuu's worried face was the first thing she saw when she opened her eyes, she was on the right side of the bed. She turned to the other side of the bed and saw Umi who is near to tears.

"Thanks Goodness! You finally woke up! You've been sleeping since yesterday! We're all so worried about you!" Umi said whose tears finally fell from her eyes.

"Sorry...But I'm okay now... By the way, what happened to Ferio?" she asked.

"He's still sleeping. But don't worry, he's okay now. Both of you are now out of danger." It was Fuu who answered.

"You look tired... Are you okay? You cried because of us, right? I'm so sorry, I was not able to save Ferio, I was the one who passed out first..." Hikaru guiltily apologized.

"What happened was not your fault..." Fuu replied. She sighed before saying "You must go back to sleep, Miss Hikaru. Master Clef told me that both of you needs more rest."

"Yeah..." Umi said "...right, she doesn't look like she came from a critical condition!" it was meant to be a joke. "Come on Fuu... why do you always follow the rules? Talking will not harm her!" she said that with her usual as a matter-of-fact expression.

"But... okay. But you must not push yourself to talk more if you feel tired, okay?" Fuu said surrendering her 'case'.

"Hikaru, I know it's too early to ask, but can you tell us what happened back there, at the forest?" Umi asked hesitantly.

Hikaru didn't replied immediately that they thought she's not ready to tell them yet.

"It's okay Hikaru. We won't push you to tell us now. There are more times for you to tell us." Umi smiled. She stand up and approached the vase full of red roses in the table near Hikaru's bed. "You know what, Hikaru? These flowers were from Lantis!" Hikaru looked at her for a moment, with her one brow wrinkled. "You should have seen his face when he went inside your room. He was so sad! He even looked so guilty! But do you know what? I think what you're thinking about his feelings for you were wrong! He loves-" Umi wasn't able to continue her words when she heard Hikaru said something. "What did you say?"

"I said it was Desma." she repeated what she had said earlier.

Umi and Fuu looked at her with both curious look.

"She was the one who did it to us. To me and to Ferio."

Umi and Fuu was tounge -tied. They can not believe what Hikaru is telling them. "A-Are you sure?" Fuu asked. It was Fuu who regained her composure first and asked. Hikaru nodded and told them what happened...

--

Hikaru, breathing heavily, finally stopped running. She was so hurt from what she heard from Lantis. She wasn't expecting that. _"Why?" _she asked and tears fell continuously from her eyes. She stood up still crying and looked around her, she was in the forest. She was running not minding where she was going that she didn't realized she was going too far from the castle. She sat on one of the big tree's roots there and continued crying. She stayed even after she stopped crying. It was almost dark and she could see the clouds above the castle turning orange. She decided to go back thinking that her friends might be worried for her. She was on her way back when she saw Desma. Hikaru decided to approach her but the dangerous look on Desma face stopped her. She noticed that Desma is wearing a different clothes and was carrying a sword on her right hand.

"Desma... why are you here?" she asked calmly even voice was telling her to avoid the girl.

"I will not let you live longer! Your the reason for everything that is happening! I will kill you!" Desma said angrily. She positioned herself, ready to fight her, "Show me your fighting skills Magic Knight!" Those were her final words before moving towards her.

Hikaru was lucky enough that she was able to evade Desma's sword. _"What am I gonna do? Master Clef hasn't given us our magics yet! I can't fight her here like this! She seemed experienced with the sword. I have to run for now!" _Hikaru thought. When Hikaru saw an opening on Desma's right chest who was about to swing her swords again, she kicked her with all her might. Desma stumbled to the ground. Pain was reflected on her face and Hikaru ran as fast as she could.

Desma, who was now angrier, quickly got up, ignoring the pain on her right chest and ran after Hikaru.

"You're not going to get away with this!" she shouted when she spotted Hikaru's running figure. She stopped on her track and slowly raised her hands while saying "Fire Stones!" she pointed her hands towards Hikaru. A small flaming balls came flying right after Hikaru who does not know what is coming after her.

Hikaru screamed when she felt Desma's Fire Stones touched her skin. She fell to the ground, whimpering from the burning sensations she's feeling on her affected body parts. "This is what you get from being a coward!" Desma said." She went near Hikaru and kicked her many times. Hikaru couldn't move anymore. Tears was falling as the thought of death came into her mind.

Desma kept on kicking her when she heard someone shouted "stop". "Who was that?!" she looked around her. "Show yourself, coward!"

"I'm here." the voice came from behind her. She turned around. It was Ferio. If not for her fast reflexes, she couldn't have avoided Ferio's attacks. Ferio was very quick, she didn't saw him pull his sword from its sheath. "I won't forgive you for doing this!" he said. " He kneeled down the weak Hikaru.

"Are you okay?" he asked worriedly.

"Ferio, please run! She's dangerous! I won't let you risk your life! If something happens to you, Fuu will feel sad. She will cry. Do you want that to happen?" Hikaru tried to stop him.

"We can't escape from her. It seems that she's very angry with you. I have to fight her before she tries to kill you. Fuu will also cry if I let her kill you...you know." Ferio insisted trying to ease away Hikaru's worry. He stood up and faced Desma. "I'll make a deal with you, if you lose, you'd answer every single question I will ask you and if I lose...you can do everything you want to do with her! _I'm sorry Hikaru... but don't worry I will still win over this witch!"_ He told Desma who was watching them the whole time.

"Oh what a brave fellow we have here, huh? Let's see...hmmm..." Desma thought first. "Okay, It is a deal! Let's begin! I can't wait to see you and that magic knight covered with blood... Yah!" It was Desma who launched her attacked first without warning.

Hikaru didn't know what was happening already. She was totally engulfed by the darkness that was calling her and she feels like going with it..._ Goodbye...Umi, Fuu...and Lantis... _A single tear fell from her eyes.

--

"Then that was how it all happened... Ferio was left there fighting Desma... What do you think happened to Desma? Do you think Ferio killed her?" Umi asked after Hikaru finished her story.

"I think he was not able to kill her. Geo and Zasu found only Hikaru and Ferio and no one else. Besides, Ferio was not the type of person who would kill his enemy, especially if it's a human being." Fuu answered,

"I agree..." Hikaru said. "Do you think Lantis knew about her?" she asked again. The door to the room opened before any of them could answer Hikaru's question.

"Clef?" Umi called. But then she looked away, she remembered what he saw from the creation room. _"Is it really Clef? But... he's so different back there. No. I think he isn't that person... If only I have the guts to ask him..."_ Umi taught trying her best not to let him notice she's avoiding him. Though she knew she already did, back when he finished healing Hikaru nd Ferio. She didn't make a single move when she saw him went out of the room, exhausted and weak.

"I'm glad to see you awake, Hikaru" the person who entered was Clef. he looked at Umi and Fuu. "I need to talk with you..." he continued, his eyes fixed on Hikaru.

The three girls looked into each other then back to Clef with questioning eyes. "Was it about the Pillar?" Hikaru asked. Clef nodded.

"Clef before that, I have something to tell you and ask you." Hikaru said who was trying to get herself up from the bed. She looked in the Master Mage's eyes that were telling her to go on. "About the past..." she continued. She felt her friends looked t her. "I don't if it is really bout the past but the place where I've been in the dream looks like Cephiro. The trees...the skies...and even those floating volacanoes and lands, it was all in the dream. There was these girls or maybe sisters because they really look like alot and they're arguing about something... about someone... the other one was very angry and the other one was crying... then that's it...it was gone...they were gone and, and the next thing I knew, I was surrounded by darkness and a voice kept telling me that I must become the Princess... _"You must become the Princess"_, the voice said... that was when I woke up. Sorry, Umi, Fuu, I haven't told you about it...

"I believe that all you've seen was true. In fact I was about to tell you something about the past. Maybe, it could help us answer all the questions we have in our minds. And it could help you decide, Hikaru..." Master Clef said. He went inside the room completely. "Perhaps, we should talk about this in a more private place." He said before tapping the tip of his staff unto the ground. All four of them were surrounded by light and gone after that leaving Ferio all alone in the room.

The three girls looked around them after the light that surrounded them earlier was gone. They were never into that room which they noticed that it resembled the library in Umi's house. "Where is this place, Master Clef?" Hikaru was the first one to ask. She was sitting on the floor, having the same position she had when she was still on her bed. Umi and Fuu were all kneeling on her two sides.

"I don't remember being here before…" Fuu seconded.

"We're here inside the Room of Ages. It is a very private room that can only be entered by the current Pillar of Cephiro and by me. All of the accounts about Cephiro's past can be found here, well, except for one. This book…which I just found recently" Master Clef answered. He coughed at the mention of the book.

"What do you mean, Master Clef?" Hikaru asked whose attention was turned on the book laying on the top of the table where Master Clef is standing. It was a thick, old, black book. There were engravings on its surfaces. The cover of the book seemed made of something hard. A small light surrounds the book. Curious, she stood up and walks slowly near the book. It is very strange that the book seems to have a life of its own… She could hear it breathing, and the more nearer she comes to the book, the more she could hear it.

"_The Secret Chronicle of Cephiro, Racius…" _The title of the book read. Hikaru moved her hands to touch it. Slowly, while her friends and Master Clef, stood in silence, waiting on what will happen next. Hikaru could not understand the mixed fear and excitement she's feeling at the moment. The book, which lays comfortably on the table, without a doubt, the reason of that mixed feelings. She could feel that something will happen, the moment she'd set her eyes on it. A blinding light came out of the book; the moment her finger tips touched the book.

"What's happening? Fuu! Hikaru!" Umi, who was covering her eyes with her hands from the blinding light asked.

"I don't know, Umi. But one thing I suspect, Hikaru might be in some kind of danger!" Fuu replied. The two of them understandingly agreed and walked closer to Hikaru who was standing in front of the book, not moving.

"What are you doing?! Don't come near here!" They heard Master Clef's commanding voice amidst the blinding light. But, they continued to walk nearer to their friend.

"Hikaru!" they called out. Few more steps and they will able to save her now. Everything happened swiftly, in an instant, the light disappeared and the room became silent. Master Clef opened his eyes. He couldn't see Hikaru, Umi and Fuu anywhere inside the room. "Hikaru…Umi…Fuu… God, I hope nothing happens to them…" Master Clef muttered under his breath. He looked at the book that was left on the table unopened. Suddenly, after all that had happened, he felt himself wanting to sleep, but no, he cannot. He must tell Lafarga and the others about what happened or else they will be more worried than they already are now.

oOo

Desma almost used up most of her energy defeating Leodor's underlings plus the cruel fight she just had with Ferio. "No way, you can't kill me Leodor! Not after I've served you loyally! Fire Stones!" she shouted mindlessly towards the approaching gang of enemies. "Damn it! Why won't you leave me alone?" she shouted angrily even after seeing all of them turned to ashes by her powerful spell.

After that, she went ready to run again. She needs to find her way out of Leodor's battleship or else, she will be caught and punished till death. She could not remember anymore how many curves she had passed until she found an unlocked room and entered inside it. She's very tired already but she can't allow herself to rest. But the wounds she received from Ferio and from the enemies that were running after her, were telling him to stop and rest. "What have I done?" she asked herself despite her heavy breathing. She shouldn't have done that to Hikaru! Now, Leodor and probably, Lantis and the other Cephirians is running after her! She was not thinking rationally at that time when she saw Hikaru hugging Lantis at the palace. Her jealousy made her like a monster and almost killed Hikaru… She'd been thinking of letting go of Lantis and left Leodor's fleet but she'd done the opposite! Nausea was slowly attacking her. She closed her eyes and tried to maintain her breathing, hoping to ease it.

She didn't know how long she had been there but she woke up when she felt someone was there with her. She moved abruptly to hold her sword and get herself ready to fight.

"Desma?" the person called out. "It's me, Inca! Where are you?"

"_Inca!"_ It was her friend. "Don't come near here!" she shouted but no enough to be heard by anyone who is outside the room.

"No! Desma, what happened to you?" Inca worriedly went near her. "Desma, you must escape from here, Leodor is gonna kill you!"

"How did you find me?"

"I saw you coming inside here… It took me a long time before I had the guts to come inside… I'm afraid of Leodor… Desma, let me help you to escape, it's the least I can do for you… come on! We have to hurry before Leodor sees us!"

Desma hesitantly followed her friend. She had no choice but to trust her for now…

"Inca…thank you. I'm sorry if I've treated you so badly before…" she started to say. Inca didn't reply and continue guiding her to escape. She remained silent until Desma declared they are now at the exit. "Where's this place?"

"Desma, you can now escape from here. And don't ever come back and live peacefully away from us and Cephiro! I'm sorry to say this, but once you went out of this ship, I will now consider you as my enemy…" Inca said, ignoring Desma's question.

Desma looked at the small mirror. How foolish of her of not being able to think of it. Using a mirror as a medium to transfer to another place was there specialty! Without looking back, she went inside the mirror. _"I'm sorry, Inca… I've been so mean to you and yet you're still helping me… But I don't think I can do what you say… I don't think I can still live longer…" _Desma thought. She thought about her wounds. Maybe, she could still stand, but too much energy and blood had been lost from her she may die from it. _"I'm so sorry Lantis, for hurting Hikaru!" _

I hope you liked this chapter and all of the chapters!!! Please give more reviews...' Til next chapter!


	9. Journey to the Past 1

**Chapter Nine**

Journey to the Past 1

Princesses Zipporah and Ziarah

In the Past…

Hikaru opened her eyes at the slight tap on her cheeks. Though her eyes were closed, the scent of a very fragrant perfume reached her nose and the hands that had touched her, she was sure it was of a woman's. She slightly groaned when the bright lighting on top of the ceiling above her irritated her eyes.

"I am glad you're awake!" a very lovely voice reached her ears. Hikaru opened her eyes to see who the owner of that very lovely voice is." Are you okay?" the owner asked. Hikaru's eyes were still blurry when she opened it. Slowly, the blurriness slowly vanished. A beautiful emerald-eyed woman with a long auburn hair was standing on the right side of her bed. "I'm so sorry for waking you up but I was just terribly worried when you suddenly moved and gave out a loud moan as though you're in pain…" the woman apologized.

"_It was the dream…"_ Hikaru thought. It was the same dream as before, the voice, which repeatedly tells her about being the princess and the two woman, the twins, who were having an argument… "Huh? The twins!" at the thought of the twins in her dreams, a feeling of familiarity that she had seen the twins stroke her! Her eyes went to the woman who was at the right side of her bed. She constantly looked at the features of the woman. "Impossible!" she cried. Unbelief was drawn on her face.

The woman's face filled with confusion. Her eyes were asking her a question that she couldn't put into words. "Who are you? Where's Master Clef?" Hikaru asked. Her eyes looked around the room. It was then that she had noticed that she wasn't in any room she had seen inside the palace nor had she seen the woman there before, except in her dreams!

"I beg your pardon?" the woman asked. She obviously doesn't know who Clef is.

"I said who are you? Where am I? Where's Master Clef?" Hikaru asked again although she has the intuition that she know _where _she is.

"Oh, I see. You don't remember anything, do you?" the woman said. She smiled understandingly at Hikaru. "I am Princess Ziarah of Cephiro. You're here inside one of the guest rooms of the palace. And as for Master Clef… uhm, there is no guru here in Cephiro having that name."

"_Just as I thought. I am here in Cephiro but probably in different Cephiro... Maybe I'm in the past… I remember a bright light coming out of the book… then I passed out."_

"Excuse me? Are you sure you're okay?" Ziarah interrupted. Hikaru looked up at her.

"Yes, I'm okay… By the way I forgot to introduce myself. I am Hikaru Shidou but you can just call me Hikaru for short, Princess Ziarah.

The woman smiled. "You can just to call me Ziarah, Hikaru. That's okay. May I know what you were doing at the Room of Ages when we found you?"

"Huh? Uh… well… the truth is-"Hikaru sweated. She can't think of any reason to tell Ziarah. She can't tell her she came from another time she may not believe her.

"That girl is my niece, Your Highness." A voice interrupted Hikaru from further answer. Both of them looked at the direction of the voice, the room's entrance door. A longhaired old man fully clad in a long old-fashioned purple robe was standing at the door. Except for his staff similar to Clef's, the old man reminded Hikaru of a magician she had watched in a series of movie that was famous in her world. Hikaru tried to remember the movie or the character that reminded her of Master Racius but she couldn't since it was her friends who often watched it.

"Oh, Good Day! Master Racius! I didn't expect you to come back this early…" Ziarah greeted.

"The calamity in the south was not that serious as we thought it is. After hearing about an intruder that was found inside the Room of Ages, I immediately instructed the gurus of the villages affected on what to do and flew back here. It seems that my decision's right. My niece made a mess again…" the man she called Racius explained. He looked at Hikaru when she was about to complain, as if saying that let him handle everything.

"A niece? I didn't know you have a niece Master Racius." Princess Ziarah said, not hiding her curiosity. "But anyway, it is more proper that I give you time alone to talk. I should leave. See you tomorrow, Hikaru" Ziarah said with a smile on her face. She wasn't mad despite the fact that Hikaru was found inside the private Room of Ages, which was heavily surrounded by a powerful magic and can be entered only by her and Racius. "Please don't be hard on her. I believe she's a nice girl." Ziarah said before leaving the room.

"_What is he talking about? I'm not his niece! He must have mistaken me for someone else!" _Hikaru thought. She remained quiet and just listened to the exchange of conversation between Ziarah and the man called Master Racius, who was obviously the author of the book that Master Clef found.

"Now that the Princess has left, you can now _reveal_ yourself, Magic Knight." Master Racius spoke after the princes had left.

"H-how did… what do you mean?" Hikaru asked, surprised.

"I know that you're a visitor from the future… a _Magic Knight_ as we call…" Master Racius said.

"Uhm…yes. But how did you know? Are you that powerful that you can even see who I really was?" Hikaru asked. Master Racius nodded.

"How did you find your way here, Magic Knight?" He asked again. "Is there any problem from the future that only the past can solve?"

"I believe that it is… But I don't know how or where to start explaining, Master Racius." Hikaru got up to have a comfortable position. Master Racius remained silent and just continued nodding to himself totally ignoring Hikaru for a few seconds.

"Maybe, it's what happening here that greatly affects or endangers Cephiro…" Master Racius expressed his thought finally.

"What do you mean?"

"You don't look any ordinary person for me; I assume you noticed that sorrow in her eyes despite the smile she had worn on her face." Racius talked, not answering Hikaru's question.

Hikaru nodded. "Yes, it was true. _It even made her eyes more expressive..._" Hikaru thought. Master Racius continued, "she has a twin in fact… the two of them were not only good as a sisters but also as friends. Both of them were destined to rule Cephiro. They were such innocent creatures, only praying for the sake of Cephiro and everyone was so lucky for having them. But things changed when Princess fell in love and was hurt…"

"What happened?" Master Racius didn't answer. "Was the Princess prohibited to fell in love in a man?"

"No! The reason's more than that… Hikaru, may I call you with that name?" Hikaru nodded. "Would it be okay if you pretend to be my niece?" he asked. He didn't bother explaining to Hikaru.

"Oh, okay…_ though you don't look like as an uncle for my age._" Hikaru agreed.

"As you see, you're a person who came from the future and the Princess, though she doesn't look like one, is a very curious person. She may ask you about many things, questions that may affect her decisions. That is why, the she must not know who you really are," he explained. Hikaru nodded in understanding. "Another thing," Master Racius added as he turned his back on her, facing the door "as you came from the future Cephiro, I know you have an idea that a person in Cephiro cannot be judged by his appearance only. It's a big excuse why the two of us can pretend as relatives." He continued. Master Racius walked into the door and left before Hikaru could react.

Hikaru was left there thinking how the old man knew she was thinking about them not being a good uncle and niece relatives. "Huh, he has quiet an attitude. If Umi was here…" Hikaru sighed. "Huh! Umi? I remember them calling my name before I passed out! I hope they weren't swallowed inside the book also!" Hiker's heart flooded with worry. "Oh no…now that I've thought of it, I felt more bothered!" Hikaru fussed at herself for being so careless. She's worrying that something may happen to them if they're also swallowed inside the book.

oOo

Umi continued walking through the thick bushes that served as their landing area from the fall that happened when they where swallowed by the book. "Wherever we are, I'm sure it was all fault of that dingy, old book!"

"Ms. Umi, please calm down. I'm sure by the time it was dark, we'll be able to get out from this place." Fuu who had been following Umi since the time they left the place tried to calm her friend who was not in good mood all day. Umi stopped and turned to look at her. Her face was all red and irritation is warning to explode anytime.

"Before dark! Look at the sky. It would only take a few minutes before it gets totally dark and here we are stuck in this wilderness without anything, without water, without food, without anything!" she turned around again. Fuu thought she'll continue walking but she was wrong. Umi burst into a very loud cry that the birds from the nearby trees were forced to flew away. "I can't live without anything! We're gonna die here! Mama! Papa! Huhuhu!!!!!!!!"

"Uh…Ms. Umi, we mustn't lose hope. I understand what you're feeling because right now, I'm also very worried what'll happen to us. But it's more important that we find our way out of this place before dark. We don't know what kind of animals go out at dark and we don't have any armor or weapon to fight them." Fuu advised her friend who suddenly stopped crying. She kept herself still and her eyes became more alert.

Umi sweat dropped. _"Oh Fuu! Why did you have to remind me of that great possibility!"_ she thought" Then an almost inaudible noise was detected by Umi's hearing. "A horse!" she answered shortly. She stood up and prevented Fuu from any questioning. "Do you hear that? Someone's coming this way! Fuu, we're saved! Saved!" Umi said her eyes sparkling with so much relief. "It's coming from this way Fuu! Let's go find them!" she said. She was pointing on the direction of the east where the sun is finally setting.

Fuu gulped and looked earnestly at the direction where Umi is pointing. "But, it's _all _trees…" she said after a while. "Are you sure you heard the noise from that direction?" she asked.

"Oh come on! Fuu, cut that nonsense! For all we know, a group of people is having a feast there and we don't even know that! It's our chance to get out of this place! Come on!" Umi rolled her eyeballs. She ran to the direction holding Fuu's hand who was forced to follow her.

oOo

In Cephiro…

A loud explosion happened at the palace entrance that caused the two guards' assigned there their untimely death. Then from the smoke emerged men in strange clothing. Their faces were colored with a red metal mask. Their whole body except the portion from their necks up was covered with a shiny golden armor fitted on their whole body, which enabled them to have a full mobility, especially against their opponents. A large metal golden helmet with a crooked top was worn on their head. One of the guards that were left alive to face the enemies ran deeper inside the palace, going to the direction of Lantis' office knowing that Lafarga's not on his own private office because he was at the village of that was also recently attacked by an unknown force.

Master Clef who was busy explaining about the Magic Knights' sudden disappearance of the magic knights to the other important members of the palace suddenly stopped as he felt a sudden attack of danger in the atmosphere. An image of the palaces' guard fighting an unknown group of force appeared in his mind. _"The palace's entrance is under attack!"_ He closed his eyes concentrating on the auras of the unknown force and ignoring completely the questions raised by the people in front of him who were Ascot, Presia and Caldina. _"There's no mistaking it! They're from Gastonia!"_ He realized after reading their spiritual energy. Then, suddenly he felt a surge of pain on his head. He felt himself fell on the ground.

"Master Clef what's wrong with you?" Presia's worried face was the first thing he saw when he opened his eyes. "Ascot! Why don't you help me assist Master Clef in his room?" Presia told Ascot who stood there only watching what was happening.

"Presia, Caldina… please tell Lantis and the guards that we're attacked by an army coming from Gastonia…" Master Clef managed to inform them before he passed out. Presia and Caldina looked at each other.

"I'll go inform the other guards in the palace who doesn't know it. Ascot what are you standing over there?! Why don't you help Presia here?" Caldina said when she saw Ascot didn't move from his place. Ascot quickly ran to Clef's side and helped Presia.

"Help us fight after you help Presia!" Caldina said to Ascot before disappearing on the other side of the door.

Caldina ran to the place of the commotion after informing everyone in the palace. Most of the guard in- charge inside the palace ran along with her at the entrance where the fighting is still going on.

"What is happening here?!" Caldina exclaimed as she sees some of the guards lying at the floor, dead. It was good enough that they had arrived before the strangers can totally go deeper inside the palace. "Where is Lantis? Have you not informed him of what was happening here?!" Caldina asked one of the guards who remained alive but the guard where not able to respond. He let out a loud shriek as though something had hurt him. He fell to the floor; his back was stabbed with the crooked helmet of the enemy. The man who caused it tried to do the same with Caldina, aiming for her exposed stomach. Luckily, she was able to evade it.

'Caldina, move aside!" she heard Ascot's voice. She turned to him and saw that he had let go three of his pet beasts. Caldina moved near Ascot and let the beasts fight the enemies.

"Caldina, why are they attacking us?! Why now that Cephiro's in peace?!" she heard him asked, almost shouting. She didn't answer, as she doesn't know what to say.

oOo

In the Past…

"So, you came from the future?" the woman in front of them and whom Umi thought as a goddess with sad emerald-green eyes asked.

Umi and Fuu who were busy stuffing their stomach with the feast of foods on the table in front of them stopped eating. They nodded. They were informed earlier by the soldiers who found them that they're fortunate being found because of the groups of savage monsters that roam around the forest at dark.

"And may I know what was in the future that made you come her?" she asked with a gentle voice.

Fuu went nearer Umi and whispered something. After a while, Umi answered. "We can't tell you anything, Princess."

"But why?" the woman asked. There was something in her eyes that made Fuu suspect her of trying to have information about the future of Cephiro.

"_Umi, we are currently in the past of Cephiro. We have to be careful of what we say. Any mistake we do, it may affect the Cephiro where we came from as well." _Umi could still hear Fuu's warning on her mind. "Forgive us, Princess Zipporah… But we are afraid we cannot. We don't want to have any change on the current Cephiro now, I mean, the future we have come from…"

"Please, understand us… the truth is, both of us don't know the reason behind why we were here and we have to find our friend who was also stuck in here." Fuu interrupted. She has a sad yet gentle and hoping to be understood look while she's explaining.

"Why do you say so?" the woman they called Zipporah, asked again. Her beautiful face showed confusion.

"You said you're the Princess of Cephiro and the future of Cephiro lies in your hands. So if we tell you about the Cephiro we came from, it's either you'll like what you'll know or not and it will affect your decisions!" Umi tried to explain; her annoyance was not hidden on her face.

The Princess frowned. "The truth is I am not the only one who this country hails as their princess… I have a twin and both of us were chosen to become the Pillar. We have to govern this country together…" the princess confessed.

"Where is she?" Fuu asked.

"She's at the palace, the _real _palace. We had an argument about the ruling of Cephiro. She wanted to change it and I disagreed with her idea. It led on me leaving the palace and staying here."

"What kind of argument is it?" Umi asked.

"She wants to have every Pillar of Cephiro should be prohibited to love anyone… "The Princess answered hesitantly. She had a very sad look in her eyes.

oOo

"What?!" The chair fell to the floor at Hikaru's harsh movement when she stood up. Both her hands were rested firmly on the table. Just a while ago, she decided to come out of her room. She looked around the palace and realized that it was not really different outside. In fact, the only change she noticed were the absence of the flying mountains and the palace was very much similar to the one in the future. "You want to wish to the Holy Deity that the governing system of this world be changed?" Hikaru could not control her temper. _"So this is where the pillar system of Cephiro started!" _Hikaru thought while she calms herself. She sat on her chair, which was set by one of the servants to its original position. "I am sorry for my reaction, Princess…" she apologized for her rough manner. "It was just that I was shocked by it. I'm sorry to say this but I don't think anyone deserves that kind of _sacrifice_." She continued giving an emphasis on the last word.

"Sacrifice, you say? I don't think this is a sacrifice. It's for the good of Cephiro. A Pillar must concentrate on ruling her country. In order to do that, she must erase every feeling she has for anyone. She must love the country itself and if she succeeds to do that, the happiness of those living in the country is ensured." Princess Ziarah explained to Hikaru as though everything she's saying is really the best idea a Pillar had come up. Then, she motioned on getting up on her seats with her servants assisting her.

"But…" Hikaru started to say. Princess Ziarah went back on her seat and waited for Hikaru to continue. "What if the Pillar falls in love with a man? What will happen?"

"I have already told you, she must forget her feelings." It was her short reply.

"What if she could not forget that man?!" Hikaru insisted on asking.

Princess Ziarah looked at her. Though, it was not shown on the Princess' face, Hikaru feels that the Princess is slowly losing her patience. "Then, the Pillar with the country itself will be annihilated and only the Magic Knights, which is only a legend who will save Cephiro in times of trouble can save them. Warriors that came from the other world, which is very impossible because there is no other world!" Princess Ziarah answered with finality in her voice and left. Hikaru was left with an angry and disappointed expression on her face.

"I can't do anything that will affect Cephiro in the future. It means, I can't argue with what she plans to do!" Hikaru whispered to herself with frustration.

oOo

"It's nobody's fault that everything came out this way. She was really hurt and because of it, she had arrived into that kind of decision…" Princess Zipporah continued. Tears were slowly appearing on the rim of her eyes but she quickly wiped it away. "Oh, please forgive me for being too emotional. I just can't stop my tears…" she apologized. She again looked at the two girls, Umi and Fuu. "You know what? I don't understand why I trust the two of you too much. Maybe it's because you came from the future Cephiro or maybe the two of you remind me of my sister." Umi and Fuu remained silent after all that they had learned from the Princess. "Please excuse me. I- I need to rest now, if you won't mind." The Princess said after a while.

"What do you mean? What hurt her? Or is it a _who_?" Umi asked curiously.

"Marcus. He was a soldier working in the palace. My sister fell for him and that man seemed in love with her. They had a relationship and none of us in the palace disagreed. In fact, we are so happy for both of them. Between the times that the two of them were together, I witnessed how happy my sister was and I had wished that it won't end but… Marcus changed in a small span of time. I believe that he was just so excited knowing that a beautiful, intelligent and most of all, one of Cephiro's princesses was smitten by him, that he thought, it's okay to go on with the flow. It's so sad to know that he was not really in love with my sister!"

"_The Pillar system started with love and it ended with love… it's so true…" _Fuu thought as she recounted the past about Zagato and Emeraude. _"From the beginning, it is the heart of the Pillar rests the destiny of Cephiro…"_

"Can't you do anything to stop what your sister plans?" Umi asked.

"I tried everything I can but it's no use! She's really determined to change the Pillar System of Cephiro!" the Princes sadly answered. Umi and Fuu remained silent and thought of what they could say to the Princess. "Her mind is already set, nothing can stop, not even Marcus…because he's gone…." The princess continued. The two girls looked at her with shock in their eyes. "He couldn't stand the humiliation he had caused and killed his self!!" she explained.

oOo

Princess Ziarah didn't go straight into her room where she usually prays. It was time for her to do another thing. She had left her servants right when she left Hikaru in the room where they're having pleasant conversation which turned bad when she had mentioned to her about her wish and transported herself at the Holy Shrine of the most Holy Deity. _"She's a very opinionated girl."_ She agreed on that thought as she remembers how Hikaru closed her thought on her views about the changing of the system. _"Unreasonably stubborn…but we're just the same. I'm so stubborn that I even arrived at this kind of conclusion. Too bad, I don't have any plans on changing it."_

After making sure everything was ready, the altar, which is attached to the wall opposite to her and where she'll be casting the spell in summoning the Holy Deity and its sacred icon that was placed properly on the center of the altar. She positioned herself, sitting on the small pedestal in the center of the room. A movable cylinder containing the spell on summoning the Holy Deity appeared in front of her. The cylinder floated and the Princess grabbed it by her right hand. Sweat passed to the surface of her forehead. Holding only the spell she'll cast makes her feel stressed and tremble inside, what more if the Holy Deity that hasn't appeared for a long time, appears finally in front of her? Will she have the courage to ask for her wish? For a moment, her sister's words rang in her mind warning her of the consequences that might happen if her wish should be granted. Just then, the image of the root of all of this craziness appeared, of the man that disregarded all that she's ready to sacrifice, and then her desire for her wish to be granted again raised.

"_Holy Deity from above, I am you servant waiting for the endowment of mine heart's wish. Come and show thy self before me, grant my wish, grant thy Cephirians' happiness!" _

Princess Ziarah read from the book and waited for a few seconds on what will happen next. Nothing happened. She stood from the pedestal and repeated the spell, wishing deeply in her heart for the awakening of the Holy Deity. She watched intently on what will happen next on the Sacred Icon of the Holy Deity. A small golden light slowly formed around the Sacred Icon. She waited until the golden light almost filled the room and a strange form emerged from the light.

"…am I, finally, reaching the fulfillment of my wish?" the princess asked herself. "Is this the Holy Deity? Is _it_?"

* * *

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	10. Journey to the Past 2

_"I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know no way of judging the future but by the past"_

**Note: I'm just a fake!**

**Chapter Ten**

Journey to the Past 2

In Present Cephiro…

Desma opened her eyes when she felt Lantis who had been holding her moved suddenly. The warm and peaceful feelings that Lantis' arms gives were gone and instead it was replaced by emptiness when he removed his arms around her. She had called Lantis to come to her and to confess everything he needs to know. After all, she had finally realized that there's no point for her to fight under Leodor's command anymore. When he arrived and saw the wounds in her arms and other parts of body, he thought that someone had tried to attack her, which Desma didn't try to correct. She still wants to savor the moment left for her with her most beloved man.

"What's wrong?" she asked gaping at Lantis who had totally forgotten where he is. Though the bleeding of her wounds has stopped and Lantis tried his best to treat those wounds somehow, Desma feels that her end is near. For a person like her, like the Cephirians, stays alive depending on her determination to live. It's their determination to live that makes their physical body stay strong. The determination could either be triggered by love or hate. And right now, she is slowly losing all the reasons that she had before to live.

Lantis turned to her and answered. "I can feel a threatening presence all around Cephiro and the palace is attacked by an unknown force…"

Desma could read between the lines. Lantis doesn't need to tell her that he's badly needed at the palace. "You may go… but before it, I have something to tell you before I die." Desma sat properly; totally leaving Lantis' arms. She could see the questions in Lantis' eyes. "You must listen because it's very important… before it's too late; I have to tell you everything..." Desma tried to smile at Lantis to show him she's okay. "I was not attacked by anyone… The truth is I have fought with Ferio." She continued. "Lantis, I was the one who almost killed Hikaru and Ferio! I- I was so angry then… at her. I was aiming for her death but Ferio interfered and that was how the fight begun. I'm sorry!" she apologized and bowed her head.

"Why?" he asked calmly. He has many questions to ask her but that was all he could say.

Desma tried to hide her uneasiness and answered. "Because I became selfish… I don't want you to fall for her again. I really loved you Lantis even though I'm not supposed to love you." She said while trying to avoid his eyes. She knows he hates her now.

"What do you mean you can't love me? Ands who really are you?"

"I'm one of Leodor's minions…" Desma answered. She bowed her head to avoid Lantis' eyes. She couldn't take it to see those eyes… Those eyes that was full of sadness since the first time she saw it. But she knows he couldn't be hers and soon he'll regain his memory and will totally _forget _her and will continue to love Hikaru. "Lantis, Leodor is planning to invade Cephiro. You must protect the pillar even with your life if you want to prevent it from happening."

Lantis looked at her with surprise. "_Hikaru…_ she's in danger then! Tell me everything!" Lantis who had been debating within himself whether he'll believe Desma or not finally got his attention on something Desma have said.

Desma looked up at him, more than ready to tell the truth.

oOo

In the past…

It was Hikaru's third day and two nights at the past Cephiro. The sky was dark in that particular day; rain is starting to fall from the sky while a loud thunder with each lightning can be heard from the sky. Somehow, what's happening to the sky of Cephiro reminded Hikaru of the battle that took place when Princess Emeraude was gone.

"Master Racius, what is happening with Cephiro?" she asked. She stopped looking out on Master Racius office window and faced the mage who was sitting quietly on his desk. "I know it's not yet evening but look at the sky! It's-"

"There's nothing to worry Hikaru, probably the Princess has temporarily stopped praying to work for the endowment of her wish." He answered calmly.

"What do you mean? Isn't she worried of what will happen to Cephiro if this continues? What wish is it that she has to put aside her duties?" she asked again. Her face is full of concern and anger.

"Don't worry, for the other Princess, Zipporah won't let it happen, Hikaru. She won't stop praying for the sake of Cephiro." Master Racius answered.

"But for how long? Cephiro will be destroyed if this continues!" she argued. "I'll go talk to her! Please don't stop me!" Hikaru informed him.

"Why are you so affected with it, Hikaru? Even though you came from the future, you can't deny the fact that you're only a Magic Knight! Give respect to the Princess' decision!" Master Racius' words stopped her. "Or maybe you're more than just a Magic Knight…"

Hikaru couldn't speak as he almost guessed who she really is. She felt the mage walked near her. "Come to think of it, your aura is fearfully strong. You can even qualify as a Pillar!" the mage continued, telling her his new found knowledge. He stopped five steps away from Hikaru. "Tell me the truth, it is time that I know it… who are you, really? Did I make a mistake when I predicted that you're just a Magic Knight? Are you more than just a Magic Knight?"

Hikaru inhaled deeply. She has no choice but to tell him. After all, he already knows that she came from the future. "Okay…but promise me that you won't tell Princess Ziarah…" she said."

"You know I won't, Hikaru" the mage answered.

oOo

Umi and Fuu stood outside Princess Zipporah's room. They looked at each other and nodded. Umi raised her right hand to knock but stopped in midair. "What if she refuses?" she asked, facing Fuu.

"We won't know unless we ask her. We can't stay here any longer. We do not know how long we're gone in Cephiro, and I'm afraid everything would be too late once we come back. We cannot wait any longer for them to find Hikaru…" Fuu looked at Umi intently. Umi inhaled deeply before finally knocking on the door.

oOo

Princess Ziarah almost stopped breathing as she waits for the Holy Deity to speak. It really surprised her to see who the Holy Deity was; she didn't expect him to look that way, so strange…

"Are you the one who called me?" Princess Ziarah gulped her saliva first before answering. She didn't see the Holy Deity open his mouth, but she noticed the red orb on his forehead brighten when she heard his voice.

"Yes, Your most Holy Deity…" she answered bowing her head.

"The last time, a Pillar summoned me to have her wish granted, do you have the same purpose on summoning me, your Creator, here?" the Holy Deity asked. Princess Ziarah need not to answer for the Holy Deity has already read her mind. "What is it that you wish, Pillar?

"I wish… for the Pillar system to be reformed for the sake of the country and the inhabitants living in it." She answered. After that, the Holy Deity didn't speak which led to Princess Ziarah thinking that her wish will be refused and that the Holy deity is angry for her plan.

"Uhm… reform… Though, I have already know what you want as I was the most powerful Deity in this universe, I would still want to hear from you about this "reform" you are saying…" the deity requested.

"The reform that I was saying was to change the whole system of the Pillar. I want any Pillar, with me included and those who will be after me, to concentrate on praying only for the country, which means, she has to put away any feelings such as love for anyone, and love only the country." Princess Ziarah answered, making sure that the Holy Deity understands very well her point.

"Hmmm…" the Holy Deity fell into silence again, obviously thinking about the princess' wish. "I fully understand what you mean, Pillar." He began. "I decide for your wish to…"

oOo

"She did it! She really called the Holy Deity! She's so stubborn! How could she do something like this?! Oh, for pity's sake, why can't she understand me? All because of that stupid Marcus, she's ready to ruin Cephiro!"

Umi tried to calm Princess Zipporah from her outburst upon learning that her sister finally succeeds on summoning the Holy Deity. "Please calm down, Princess Zipporah; nothing will happen if you continue this way."

"What should I do? How can I stop her?" the princess asked and looked at the two girls, waiting for an answer.

"We do not know… and I don't think we can stop her… she has already called on the Holy Deity..." Fuu answered. She herself is feeling miserable from the news the princess told them.

"I have to go to that place. I must talk to her before it's too late!" Princess Zipporah declared suddenly jumping out of the bed where she's sitting with Umi and Fuu on her two sides. "Will you two, accompany me in going there?"

"Actually, we are planning to ask you to allow us to go the palace where the other princess stays, Umi and I came to a thought that Hikaru might possibly be there. So, there is no problem if you want us to come with you." Fuu told her their plan.

"And we'll make sure to help you in any way we can, right Fuu?" Umi butted in with a big grin on her face.

"Thank you so much" Princess Zipporah couldn't say more than that out of her emotions, knowing that the two girls are on her side.

oOo

Princess Ziarah went out of the summoning room. After going out of the room, it was only then that she had felt how tiring it is to summon a very powerful deity. She didn't expect him to dismiss her out of the room, reasoning that she should give more time about her wish and she couldn't help but to feel disappointed and afraid for that "time". Yeah, she's afraid that she may change her mind… She lay comfortably on her bed, hoping to have a good sleep...

oOo

Hikaru waited for the mage sitting in the chair in front of her to talk. She just finished telling him about her, everything.

"You are Cephiro's chosen Pillar, am I right? And you came here because of a book I have written?" Hikaru nodded in all of that. She followed him with her eyes when he stood up and went to a cupboard located near the entrance of his office. He opened it and looked for something. He went back to his seat, holding a familiar book in his hands. "Is this the book?" he asked her, showing the front of the book.

"Y-yes… that's the book! Master Racius, can that book help us go back in the future?" Hikaru asked wide-eyed. She stared more closely at the book and realized it was really the same book, only that it is newer than the one Master Clef found.

"I cannot answer that question, Hikaru. But I am telling you that this book is not yet completed. As the Master Mage of Cephiro, it is my duty to report everything that was happening during the government of the reigning Pillar in a book so that it will not be forgotten by anyone." The mage explained.

"Master Clef told us that he just found the book recently; right at the time that Cephiro was facing a grave danger…" Hikaru informed the mage. Silence took place.

"I do not know how that happened, Hikaru. For now all we can do is wait what happens next, it was then that we can know the answer to everything…" the mage told her. He looked outside the window. It was still dark outside, with rain falling from the sky and the murderous thunder ringing all over Cephiro.

"We have visitors." The mage said suddenly said.

"Who?" Hikaru asked.

"Princess Zipporah and two unfamiliar girls." He answered. "I have a feeling that you know who these girls are."

oOo

"I'd never change my mind, Zipporah. You are just wasting your time." Princess Ziarah said calmly but firmly to her sister.

"Face me Ziarah and tell me that you're not really changing your mind about that matter!" Zipporah demanded to her sister. Ziarah has her back facing on her. She waited for her sister to do what she said but she didn't. She had left Umi and Fuu in the meeting room and followed her sister who left them and went into her room. "You can't? I know it was hard to be hurt by someone you have loved so much… but don't you think you're becoming foolish by acting that way?" she told her sister.

"Please leave, Zipporah! I know what I am doing! I'm not just doing this because of this unsuccessful love affair I had, I am doing this for Cephiro's sake!" Ziarah said, still not facing her sister.

"I won't! It is also my duty to protect Cephiro! You can't just do this, especially without my agreement!" Zipporah insisted. "Have you forgotten already, sister?" Ziarah could not answer and remained silent. "I'll go and ask forgiveness to the Holy Deity, I'll tell Him you're withdrawing everything you've said!" she told her sister.

"Stop it, Zipporah! You don't have to do it! I won't retract everything I've said! Please, just this once, let me do this! I am not a child anymore…" Ziarah shouted on her face. She wasn't crying; her face was full of determination and unimaginable pain. "This is the decision I've come up with… not even you can stop me! If you disagree with it, leave!"

Princess Zipporah was taken aback by her sister's words. She didn't expect her to say such words, especially to her! "For pity's sake, why are you acting like that, my sister?" she asked tearfully. "You're not the same person that I've grown up with anymore! What you're doing will ruin Cephiro someday, can't you see it? A Pillar without love… without anyone beside her, not even a family or friend! You're turning into a selfish person! Why are you letting this madness get into you?" she said intensely.

"Everybody changes and I'm one of them… only for the better. Sister, how can I, as a pillar pray for the Cephiro if this heart of mine is full of grief and anger, how about the next pillars who'll fell in love? " Princess Ziarah told her sister. There was pain in her eyes seeing her sister cry. She's afraid it will affect their relationship fully. "Will you please _come_ with me, sister?" she asked. Her voice was trembling and unsure, afraid of Zipporah's answer.

"Not every love, like yours, fails. I can't… I'm sorry." Zipporah said sadly. Her head bowed to the ground, not daring to look at her sister, her _twin's _eyes. "I should leave!" she said with finality in her words and turned her back on her sister.

oOo

Master Racius' description of the two girls accompanying Princess Zipporah sent Hikaru into a feeling of relief. It matched her two friends who she suspected also swallowed by the book. She immediately asked the mage where they are and went running to where they are.

She quickened her speed when she was near to the room where Master Racius said her friends were staying. "Umi! Fuu!" she called out the moment she stepped inside the room. Her two friends, surprised to hear Hikaru's familiar voice looked into her direction. A smile and relief curved into their face. Gladly, they stood up and went near Hikaru who was breathing heavily due to her running. "Thanks goodness! Both of you are okay!" Hikaru exclaimed after resuming her normal breathing. She hugged the two of them.

"We're so relieved to see you again, Hikaru!" Umi said after Hikaru let them go from her hug. "We're glad that you're safe."

"It must be the light that made you able to come here." Hikaru said. "I'm so sorry… because of me you were dragged here." She added with a gloomy face.

'Oh Hikaru, you don't have to be sorry. We were so worried; we decided to run to you and save you from that light that we thought as a danger, which is why we're here." Fuu assured Hikaru. Umi agreed with her which made Hikaru's guilty feelings to subside a little. "Don't worry; we can go back in the present once all of this is over… I believe that the book is only showing us everything that happened in the past." Hikaru and Umi nodded in agreement.

That night, Princess Zipporah decided to stay at the palace, still hoping her sister would change her decision. Umi and Fuu decided to stay at Hikaru's room. They fell asleep easily from exhaustion from the past events that happened too fast and too much for them to handle easily.

Inside Princess Zipporah's room, the princess couldn't sleep. She was thinking of what will become of Cephiro if her sister's wish is to be fulfilled and what she'd do after that. The princess lazily left her bed and went to sit at a nearby chair on her dresser not far from her bed and near her room's only window. She has a worried look on her face as she gazes at the scenery outside the window. As a pillar, she could feel how the whole of Cephiro is affected. It is unusually dark that night, there are lightning seen in the sky every once in a while followed by a loud thunder. The atmosphere is colder at night than she could remember and hotter at day. Several monsters appear on different places in Cephiro, especially at the villages where the residents lock themselves to avoid the danger of the monsters.

"I know it is not only because of my sister that all of these happen… I am as well is disturbed and so is the Cephirians… Oh Ziarah… I don't want the two of us to fight each other" she cried. She looked through the window and saw that that it was the thunder becoming louder. "Even if it takes with having to leave this land, I'll do every possible way to save Cephiro from farther destruction… If this is the destiny of Cephiro, of its people, of me and my sister, so be it. I have wish too and I'll fulfill that wish to save Cephiro..."

The princess silently went outside her room. Her heart filled with mixed feelings, she had decided to walk towards the path to save Cephiro and to fulfill her own wish...

* * *

My cousin thinks, I'm crazy because I love animes. I told her that I'm not. She's the one whose crazy because she loves cartoons and she's already twenty one years old!


	11. Love Has Flow Away

"_Thanks to the human heart by which we live, "  
"Thanks to its tenderness, its joys and fears,"  
"To me the meanest flower that blows can give"  
"Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears."_

**William Wordsworth** (1770 - 1850)

**Warning: I'm an impostor.**

**Chapter Eleven**

Love Has Flown Away

In the past…

Zipporah's past…

"_**I opened my eyes and realized I wasn't in the same place I've slept before…"**_

"_**Soft smooth bed turned to ashes"**_

"_**In the middle of the wilderness, I woke…"**_

"_**Where no arms to hold me…"**_

_Zipporah turned to the direction where she heard the familiar voice of her sister. From afar, she could see a small fountain where her sister, looking so divine in her flowing pink gown while gazing at her reflection in the water, singing an unfamiliar song._

_She decided to observe her sister first before approaching her. For the past few days, she noticed something in her sister's behavior. There was a gloomy aura surrounding her. In addition to that, she hasn't seen Marcus in the palace lately. Nor did she hear from Master Racius that he was sent in some mission outside the palace or maybe she's just missing the most recent news about the happenings in the palace. _

"_**The world I've known has changed"**_

"_**Everything has been stolen from me…"**_

_Zipporah approached her sister. Zipporah could feel the sorrow inside her sister's heart, who is still unaware of her presence. Curiosity filled her heart. "Ziarah, my sister, may I know what's bothering you?"_

_Ziarah abruptly stopped singing and looked up at her sister who is standing in front of her. She watched her sister sit beside her in the fountain. "Nothing is bothering me, Zipporah. Why did you ask such question?" she asked instead. She laughed to hide the truth._

"_I could see it in your eyes. You can't lie to me… I have been observing you these past few days. Besides, that song you're singing… I haven't heard that song before…That song is so…" Zipporah couldn't continue her sentence, afraid that Ziarah may not appreciate her opinion._

"_What about the song?" she asked, with a smile, hiding her real emotions._

"_It's like a sad song…" Zipporah closed her eyes and sang the same song she just heard from her sister. When she opened her eyes, she saw how her sister quickly wiped something in the corner of her right eye. She looked at her for a few second assessing why her sister is crying before asking again. "Is it Marcus that is making you cry?"_

"_Yes… But don't worry about me, Zipporah. I'm only sad but it won't affect my concentration in my prayers…" she assured her sister and to avoid more questions. _

"_But what will you do now?" Zipporah was persistent to make her sister confess. She went nearer to her and held her sister's hands as a sign of assurance. However, Ziarah was in no means of answering any questions from her sister. Not now that she is still feeling ashamed of herself. _

"_Zipporah, my sister… have you ever thought of how mighty the power of pillar is?" Ziarah was saying this while her eyes are not looking directly to her sister's eyes. "I think this kind of Pillar System is foolish." _

"_I don't see anything wrong with it… are you really okay, Ziarah? You don't look good." Zipporah noticed the changed in her sister's mood. She's starting to worry for her sister's condition. She was still as innocent as she is in the field of love. Maybe she's taking that love dilemma seriously inside her heart._

"_To be a pillar, one must possess a relatively powerful heart among everyone else here in Cephiro. We were the one chosen after the last pillar's regime because of that basis. But once our hearts are filled with nothing but pain, it will reflect on what this world will look like, and once filled with hatred, it will be Cephiro's end." She felt silent for a few seconds before looking at her sister. "Sister, I want to save Cephiro from this." _

"_I really can't understand what you're trying to tell me, Ziarah." Zipporah said. "Why don't you take a rest? Maybe you're too stressed with what is happening between you and Marcus and on your responsibility as a pillar." She urged her sister. "Come on, we'll talk about this more after you take a rest." _

_Ziarah didn't make a single move. "Zipporah, everything has an end, including the way of the Pillar. It may not happen today or tomorrow, but I'm sure it will someday. What will you do if it happens?" _

"_No, I'm sure it won't happen!" Zipporah answered. "But if it can't be helped, and I'm not conformed with it… I'll leave." She added while her expression is firm. "Why are you asking me this kind of questions?"_

_Ziarah didn't answer again. Instead, she stood up with a strange look on her face. "I will go to my room now, Ziarah. You're right, I've been too exhausted with the current events in my life and the life of a pillar is also a very stressful job." She turned her back on her sister and walked back inside the palace, leaving Zipporah in a confused state. _

_Zipporah followed her sister go inside the palace. Before she vanished from her view, she still caught some of the lines her sister sang._

"_**Love has flown away from me"**_

"_**Far from being reached"**_

"_**Now I know the meaning of being…."**_

"_**Alone."**_

"_Love has flown away…" she whispered to herself before she decided to leave the fountain._

+end of Zipporah's memory+

oOo

Princess Ziarah has finally made up her mind. After some time of thinking, she finally decided that she's on the right path. Her wish is for the good of the country and its people and later on, she believes that her sister will understand what she wants. Zipporah will realize that she's doing the right thing and nothing bad will happen just as what she is insinuating.

The door to the summoning room opened itself the moment she was near it. Inside, she could truly feel the strong presence of the Holy Deity waiting patiently for her final answer. Finally, the future of Cephiro will be brighter. Once her wish is granted, the Pillar, including her won't be allowed to love except Cephiro. The Pillar will have to pray for the sake of Cephiro only.

She inhaled deeply before finally setting foot inside the room only to be stunned to see the last person she knows she'll see in the room at that point of time. It was her twin sister, Zipporah. And it seems that she had finally finished whatever she is saying with the Holy Deity!

"If that is what you wish then I will have to grant it." She heard the voice of the Holy Deity, echoing all around the four corners of the room. She felt a fear in her heart. She didn't foresee it coming and she was unprepared for it.

"I am very sure of my decision, Most Highest of all Deity." She heard Zipporah said as she was kowtowing to the Holy Deity. She sat up and turned to face her as though she felt her presence. An expression of welcome passed her face momentarily and then turned serious again. "Ziarah, just as you are, I have also made my own decision. Like I told you before, I am not conformed to your own wish." Zipporah said solemnly. "The Holy Deity has approved of it. Not even you can break it."

"What have you done?" Ziarah said tearfully. She rushed beside her sister, disregarding the presence of the Holy Deity. "Zipporah! Why can't you believe in me? Why can't you understand me? We are sisters, aren't we?" her face was filled of tears, of frustration and helplessness. The voice of the Holy Deity stopped her from asking more from her sister. Both of them turned to the Holy Deity and waited for what he'll be telling them.

"Pillar," he started, looking at Ziarah "Don't you want for your own wish to be fulfilled?"

"I want it to be fulfilled so badly. I would give up everything I have if I have to." She answered, bowing aggressively in front of the Holy Deity.

"That is… your sister included, am I right?" he asked. Ziarah stopped thinking for a moment. She couldn't find the words to tell the Deity her answer. "If you would say "yes" right away, then Ziarah, I will grant your wish and you will also become the sole pillar of this country."

"I do not understand… What does my sister has to do with this?" she asked confusedly. "Didn't she ask for the withdrawal of my wish?" she looked up to the Holy Deity, then turned her head to her sister beside her who remained silent while she talked.

"I didn't, Ziarah. I decided to… leave this country. I asked the Holy Deity to give me a part of Cephiro which I can rule freely the way I want." She answered. Her eyes were trying to avoid Ziarah's questioning eyes.

"Are you really that determined to make me give up on my wish, by scaring me? You think I'll believe you?" Ziarah was more surprised than she could imagine. The thought of living and ruling Cephiro without her sister beside her will slowly kill her! _"But what if it's true?"_ Ziarah tried to get rid the possibility that her sister might be saying the truth.

"I am, Ziarah. It is my wish also to rule a land where everyone is happy." She confirmed.

"No! You're really leaving me?" she was already trembling but she tried to hide it. "Are you sure you will be happy with that wish?"

"And you? Are you happy with your own wish?" Zipporah squared. Ziarah wasn't able to respond. All she could do was to stare at her sister. Her eyes were emerald clear, so beautiful, and yet it was depriving her of any trace of emotion. A plane mirror where all she could see was her beauty but not its worth. She wanted to scream right to her face that it wasn't what she had wanted!

"Zipporah, This is not what I wanted… Please…" she pleaded once again but Zipporah remained firm on her decision. Zipporah sat in front of her almost kneeling form, but her eyes looked past her as if looking at her is not a good gesture for her to do while in front of the Holy Deity.

oOo

Hikaru woke up with the image of Lantis on her mind. She didn't understand what the dream was all about and she could remember only few fragments of the dream and that includes Lantis.

"_Lantis…"_ her heart was beating faster as she think more and more of Lantis. She checked on her two friends to see if one of them had been disturbed and awaken by her sudden jolt from her sleep. "I don't understand… Do I miss him already? Even if he has hurt me so badly that my heart and mind could have exploded out of the pain?" She sighed as she realized that the only answer to her questions is the three-letter word "YES". _"I have to do something with this feeling sooner since I know we could never be together anymore. He doesn't love me anymore and we were worlds apart from each other."_ She was thankful she has less time to ponder about her "love problem" because of the current situation she and Umi and Fuu is into and wishes it will remain the same even after they go back into the _present Cephiro._

Her thoughts were disturbed when she felt the ground shaking. She thought she was just imagining things but she was wrong, it came stronger as the moments passed. _"It's an earthquake!"_ She realized and sprinted towards the window where her eyes saw a blinding light coming from the outside of palace.

"What is that? What is happening, Hikaru?" she heard Umi's voice behind her. She turned to her and saw Fuu who was standing beside Umi. They have the look of someone who had been forcefully awaken from their sleep. Their eyes were red and their hairs in disarray. They were still wearing their pajamas, courtesy of Master Racius who graciously helped them out in their stay in the palace since none of the twin sisters could go to see them.

"I don't know! Let's go see Master Racius!" Hikaru responded. She was anxious about whatever is happening to Cephiro. They were about to get out of there room when they heard Master Racius' voice. There was a sign of concerned in his eyes.

"Let's go outside! Something's happening there!" Master Racius told them. Quickly, without waiting for their response, he raised his staff and before they could ask what he's planning to do, a white light enveloped the four of them.

Slowly, the light surrounding them disappeared and found themselves outside the palace. "Master Racius, why did you bring us here? And what was that earthquake all about?" Hikaru asked.

"Look behind you and you'll know." The old mage told them. The three girls turned on their backs to see what Master Racius is referring to. A big mass of land float not far from them. An exact replica of the palace stood magnificently and proudly on top of it, sparkling under the bright light coming from Cephiro's sun, but an invincible light of sadness and departure surrounded it.

"What was that?!" Umi asked wide-eyed as she continues to stare at it.

"Look, everyone! It's Princess Zipporah emerging from the palace' replica!" They heard Fuu cry out. They followed the direction of her gaze and it is indeed Princess Zipporah!

Princess Zipporah stood elegantly outside the door of the palace' replica. She was wearing an iridescent cream-colored long gown made of a soft fabric. She was wearing her crown in her forehead, one that resembles Princess Ziarah's crown. The knights remembered they haven't seen her wearing the crown before. The crown sparkled in her forehead as she moves her head to see them and the other people dwelling near the palace gathered near the gigantic thing she's riding. Her face doesn't show any expression that could give them a hint on what she has on her mind.

"Inhabitants of Cephiro, we all know recently that the Twin Pillar's willpower has been put to a test. However, as days passed and the two of us argue more and more about the matter at hand which was not held secret from all of you, Cephiro's safety was put to risk." The princess started her statement, her voice and expression void of any emotions. She was using magic to expand the distance her voice can reach to give the news to everyone in Cephiro.

"What is she talking about, Master Racius? Please tell us." Umi asked confusedly and turn to the mage, expecting him to answer her question.

"Even I do not know anything she's talking about. Let's listen so that we could understand more." It was the mage's only answer.

"My sister and I, with the approval of the highest of all the Deity, decided to part our ways. I have decided to leave this country and start ruling a new one wherein the original system of the Pillar will be followed and preserved. I know it would be a tough decision to all of you, but please hear me and understand me. If any of you wants to come with me and have a start with me, you are free to ride this ship with me. We will be living until the next three days at dawn." She ended her speech without acknowledging any questions from anyone. She then went inside the palace' replica and disappeared from their sight.

"I can't believe this! What would this country be without the other princess?" they heard Master Racius said. His face was something between in pain and sadness. He turned his back to them and left the magic knights together with the other Cephirians having their own discussion about what just happened.

Three days after that, Zipporah and many other Cephirians got ready to leave the country. The long line of people carrying their belongings which they could bring is the manifestation of it and Ziarah didn't do anything to stop it. The magic knights stood there watching all of these.

"I feel so sad it all has to happen… and we couldn't even do anything to stop it!" Umi cried. Hikaru and Fuu went near her and the three of them hugged each other.

"We know we can't do anything or else the Cephiro where we came from will be lost forever." Fuu told her softly, squeezing Umi's hands.

"I wonder what Zipporah will call the new planet she'd be ruling." Hikaru said. Umi and Fuu looked at her. "Last night while the two of you dozed off to your beds, I went to visit Ziarah." She saw her friends' eyes overflowed with curiosity, they want to ask her question but they just decided to listen to everything she'd be saying.

"I begged her to go and reconcile with her sister first and foremost before Zipporah leaves. It could be the last time they'll see each other… But I could not convince her. Yet I know her heart is crying from an unimaginable pain from being departed from her sister." Hikaru told them sympathetically. "I just hope she would still change her mind before it's too late for her to see and talk to her sister."

"Maybe she's the type of person who does not have the courage to see someone they loved to leave before their eyes." Umi said, breaking the hug from her two friends. "Look at Zipporah," Umi said as she looked at Zipporah on one corner of the gigantic airship which will transport them to the new planet the Holy Deity had promised. She stood there watching the people go inside. "She's obviously sad." The other two magic knights agreed.

Then, they saw Zipporah looked at their direction and smiled. The magic knights taught the smile was for them but they were wrong. Behind, they heard Ziarah's voice whispered her sister's name. In an instant, Zipporah was fast approaching them with happiness in her heart. She gladly embraced her sister who in turn responds with the same warm and tight embrace.

"It has been so long since we held each other like this…" Ziarah said, tears streamed down her pinky cheeks, eyes tightly closed. "Zipporah, please don't leave… I'm begging you."

"I will if you would retract your wish." Zipporah said this with a teasing smile on her face. The magic knights couldn't move, too engrossed in listening to the twin sisters who, in a small span of time, the dark aura surrounding them disappeared. And it was all because of one warm and tight embrace!

The other princess helplessly groaned. "Why can't you understand me?" was all she could say.

"You have asked me that questions for so many times and until now I couldn't answer it directly. I guess despite the fact the two of has the same face; we're really two different individuals. I guess you know what I mean, my dear sister." Zipporah told Ziarah who just nodded understandingly.

"I guess, it's already goodbye… but before it, can we please forget all the horrible things that happened between us before?" Ziarah asked in a bright tone. Zipporah nodded.

"Everything you wish, my sister." The two of them again embraced each other. _"Ziarah, even though I'm not conformed with your idea of a new Pillar System, I want you to know that I'm with you. My departure is the answer I'm giving you. I approved you of having the Pillar System changed."_ Zipporah whispered in a tone that the magic knights could not hear anymore…

The magic knights felt themselves being lifted from the ground. "Hey! What is happening again?!" Umi asked but none of her two friends abruptly answered her. They too were confused on what was happening to them.

"I guess it's time for us to leave…" Fuu said in a not-so-sure tone of voice.

On the other hand the twin sisters broke off from their embrace.

"Can you at least tell me what you will call the new planet?" Ziarah asked her sister, oblivious of the event happening to the magic knights. The magic knights stopped fussing and listened intently to what Zipporah will say.

"I've thought of it just last night and decided. I hope you would like the name and please visit us whenever it is possible, you're welcome there." Zipporah smiled. "It's…"

As she uttered the words, the magic knights were enveloped by a bright light which rocketed towards the sky. The two princesses didn't even notice them gone…

"_GASTONIA."_

oOo

Present Cephiro…

Lantis for the first time since the day he had met Desma, smiled. He lowered his hand to the ground and placed the sunshine flower on top of the small mound of soil in front of him. He smiled, not only because he had to in order to fulfill Desma's wish before her last breath but also to thank her for everything. He had been too blind by his coldness; he had overlooked Desma's pure love.

"_I've always been too impulsive from everything I do. When I joined Leodor's commando, I didn't think straight and even when I had attacked Hikaru I desregarded Leodor's wrath that would fall upon me… Because of it many people were affected. Lantis please accept my plead of forgiveness… please tell Hikaru and Ferio and everyone I have hurt, I am so regretful of everything I did towards them…"_

"_Don't speak anymore, you will suffer greater pain." Lantis told her when he noticed her breathing becoming shallower and her whole body was already trembling. Desma tried to smile and looked at Lantis' handsome face._

"_I have never seen you smile at me, Lantis. Please let me see your smile before my last breath…" she asked and Lantis did so, if it could make her feel more comfortable. Desma smiled again. "After I die, please bury me in the center of my garden, place my favorite daylight flower there and smile at me. It will only then that I could peacefully leave." Her eyes closed which made Lantis think she's nearing the time of her death. "I hope, everything I've confessed to you about Gastonia could help, at least for me to atone for my evil acts…" She raised her right hands, a small pouch was there. "I have one more confession to make…" she said, her eyes still closed and her voice became lower._

"_What do you mean?" Lantis asked. He was caressing her softly to show her he cared for her, even at that time and even after he learned about the real her. He motioned to get the small pouch from Desma's hand when she told him to get it. "What is this?"_

"_It's a herbal medicine for your illness which I have caused. Drink it." The sentence struck at him. "I could imagine your eyes becoming bigger." She chuckled. "It was me who made you forget a portion of your past. I made sure that you could forget Hikaru and I'm sure you know why I did that so I don't have to explain." Silence took over as Lantis stared at the small pouch. In his lap, he didn't notice Desma finally breathed her final breath…"_

Lantis took one last look at the small pouch which he took from his pocket. After that, he pivoted towards the palace, determined to restore every wrong thing he had done…

He had been too blind by his coldness; he had overlooked someone else's pure love… A love that he should protect and preserve before it's too late and be lost again from him… this time for _eternity_.

* * *

What do you think will happen to Lantis and Hikaru? What will happen to Cephiro, now that Gastonia's guise has been known? Bye…Bye… Hope you'd like the next chapter!


	12. Lantis' Memory Came Back!

_I want to know what is in my file. It is my file, yet I don't know where it is, and what is inside. My file is the basis for all levels of institutions and officials to judge, assess, and control me. If my file is lost, it means my disappearance in this society._

**Mou Sen**

Note: I'm just a fan of this anime.

**Chapter Twelve**

Lantis' Memory Came Back!

"We were back inside the Room of Ages." That was all Hikaru could say as she looked both at Umi and Fuu. "Everything happened so fast…"

"I agree with you… any way how can we get out of here? From what I could recall we haven't entered this room through a _door_!"

"I'm glad that you girls are alright." They heard Master Clef's voice behind them, Presea was there assisting his wavy walk.

"Master Clef! We already know everything!" they head Hikaru's joyful voice as she approach the weakened mage.

"What do you mean Hikaru?" Presea asked. Master Clef was already in his seat so there was no need for Presea to assist him.

"We have learned the reason how the Pillar System four before had started." Fuu's answer came. Umi remained silent and was still trying to avoid contacting Master Clef's eyes. She continued to listen as Hikaru and Fuu told them about their experience in the past through the old book, _"Secret Chronicle of Cephiro"_.

On the other hand, Lantis arrived in the palace and went straight to Clef's study but he wasn't there, only Caldina and Ascot.

"Lantis! Where have you been? Don't you know that the palace has been attacked a few hours ago?" she said as an introduction. There was a hint of irritation in her voice but was trying to suppress it to avoid flaring Lantis' temper.

"I know but I couldn't go for a very important reason. Desma died just a while ago…" he started to say. A startled look came on Caldina's and Ascot's face.

"Oh, I apologize, Lantis… I didn't mean to…" that was all she could say.

"Cut it out Caldina, you don't have to apologize. Where are Master Clef and the Magic Knights, even Lafarga?" he said without any emotions on his face.

"Lafarga came to inspect the attacked village while Master Clef was in his room, resting..." Ascot answered him. "As for the magic knights… they're not here."

"What do you mean they're not here?" he asked, his voice rose a little bit but still in control.

"They've gone to some place… Maybe you have to ask Master Clef about that. He could explain well about it." Ascot just said, avoiding Lantis' eyes and from other questions he's sure he couldn't answer on his own.

Without even bidding goodbye, Lantis left to go to Master Clef. Ascot and Caldina was left there, surprised by the Magic Swordsman's strange behavior. "It was the first time I've heard him talk for a longer time than he did to us most of the time." Caldina told Ascot who nodded in agreement.

oOo

Presea, together with Hikaru, assisted Master Clef lay to his bed as another migraine attacked him a while ago which sent the Magic Knights in a jolt of worry.

"He's been too exhausted for the reason which I do not know and he won't tell me." Presea helplessly reported as if seeking any comfort they could give.

"Maybe, he has been thinking too much about the current danger Cephiro is facing." Presea added as Hikaru went near her and hugged her slightly.

"Danger?" the three Magic knights said at the same time. Their faces with alarm and confusion.

"A few hours ago, soldiers from that battleship from Gastonia arrived and attacked us. Some of the soldiers who weren't ready from the attack died." She told them with a grim look on her face. "I don't understand what their reason on doing that… Are they planning to invade us?"

"But you were able to defeat them, right?" Hikaru asked. "Where are Lafarga and the others? Were they hurt?"

"Lafarga wasn't here until now. Caldina and Ascot and the rest of the guards went to fight those _monsters_. As for Lantis, he isn't there. We've been trying to contact him but he didn't come for us." Presea answered.

"Lantis didn't come even though the palace was attacked?" Umi said, surprised at what Lantis' odd behavior. "I believe he has too much concern for Cephiro and protect it with his own life! How could he-" she said angrily and forgetting Hikaru was listening. She wouldn't have stopped if Fuu hadn't told her that Hikaru was almost near to tears, probably hurt by Umi's taunting words. "Oh… I didn't mean it, I- I was just angry that's all. Well, you know me when I'm angry…" she tried to explain but Hikaru just smiled at her.

"It's okay, Umi. I don't mind at all. Even I was questioning what he did." Hikaru guaranteed her friend that she was not angry at all.

"Ummm…" they heard Fuu was mumbling something. They looked at her, expecting to hear what she'll be saying. "May I excuse myself from here?" she said.

"Why, Fuu?" Umi asked worriedly. "Is there something wrong with you?"

"Oh no… I just want to go check on Ferio's condition that's all." She said, her cheek turned rosy under their teasing stares. "So, if you may…"

"Oh, I remembered, I have to talk to someone so I also need to leave." Umi said. She thought it was a good opportunity to escape from Master Clef's presence. Without letting anyone noticing the real reason of her leaving, she jogged beside Fuu and held her arms. "Let's go, Fuu." She said smiling and tugged at Fuu to follow her at the door.

When the door opened automatically, a bulk figure stood just outside the room. He was all clad in black, his violet orb directed at Hikaru.

"Lantis." Master Clef called out as he open his eyes. "It's you… What brought you here?" he said without trying to get himself up.

"Forgive me for disturbing your rest but important information is with me and needs to be known by all of us before it is late." He said.

"Important information? Is it about Gastonia?" Hikaru guessed, gathering all her courage to look directly at Lantis' eyes.

Lantis fully entered the room with Umi and Fuu giving way for him. "Yes, it is." He confirmed looking at Hikaru's eyes.

"I have learned that to control Cephiro is the real reason for Gastonia's battleship residing at our atmosphere." He said. Umi and Fuu totally forgot leaving the room, standing not far behind Lantis who is situated at the foot of Master Clef's bed. "It was Leodor, the Prince of Gastonia who is leading the army."

"But why? Is it because of the internal war happening inside the country just as what Lafarga has told us before?" Umi asked directly at Lantis. Lantis nodded.

"Lantis, how did you know all of this?" Master Clef asked.

There was a long pause before Lantis could answer. "It was Desma who told me everything. She was serving under Leodor's command."

Another long pause took place before one of them could speak. Presea and Master Clef, shocked at the painful truth upon knowing that someone from Cephiro could do it. Umi, Fuu and Hikaru looked into each other, their suspicion about the girl was proven.

"How could that happen? A Cephirian, willing to betray her mother country?" Presea said with a heavy heart, her right hands placed in her chest.

"She's not from Cephiro. She is a full-blooded Gastonian. One of the most powerful warrior in their planet but unfortunately… she died just a while ago, right after telling me everything I've told you." He said, his voice has a shade of sadness.

"Died?!" Presea said more shocked. Umi and Fuu gasped audibly while Hikaru could only look down, her eyes misted with tears.

"How? How did she died?" they heard Fuu asked. "Was it Ferio's fault? Did he fight with her too much?" she asked, her voice quivering, afraid of the guilt that will fall upon Ferio's cheerful disposition.

"You could say that but the true reason was…" Lantis voice faded, his eyes narrowed as though it was hard for him to continue. "_It's a hard thing to do… explaining everything. _When Leodor found out what Desma did to Hikaru… he was so angry he wanted her dead. She was able to escape though. She hid herself in her house, contacted me to come to her. She told me everything."

"But why would he kill her for hurting me? He should be glad instead because I was one of the Magic Knights!" Hikaru said almost to herself. She was starting to blame herself for Desma's unfortunate fate. "Why, Lantis? Tell me… I don't understand why he'd do that!"

"Because he needs Hikaru, am I right Lantis?" Master Clef interrupted. The rest of them looked at him. "Because of the power Hikaru possesses and of the crown which she rightfully owns." He even added.

"That is true. He couldn't have Gastonia all for himself because of her sister, Princess Aura, the full authority of the country. It was there that everything started. To have Gastonia, he is going to control Cephiro, to fight against his own country." Lantis said.

"What a cruel man! He truly is!" Umi said. "Hikaru, you have to be more careful. Leodor must not have you!"

"I know it, don't worry about me… I will take care of myself." Hikaru assured them.

oOo

Lantis watched as Hikaru stood under the tree where he usually takes his afternoon nap. Hikaru was not in her usual self lately. He knows because he has been following her since they went out of the room. She never smiled after she left her friends outside Master Clef's room and went straight outside the palace despite danger that awaits her.

Getting bored by it, he decided to approach Hikaru who was still oblivious of his strong presence. He stood at the right side of Hikaru. Hikaru felt him finally that she abruptly looked up at him. "Lantis…" he heard her said his name but didn't continue talking any farther. She looked down again but Lantis still caught a slight blush on her cheeks.

Without asking for her permission, Lantis took his seat beside the startled Hikaru who couldn't stop him from doing so. When he had taken his seat comfortably, he rested his back on the tree's strong trunks and didn't say anything even though Hikaru was looking at him strangely.

"What are you doing?" Hikaru asked Lantis who was probably planning to take a nap. "Why are you here? Don't you have anything important to do?" she continued asking when she received no reply from the silent swordsman.

Realizing he does not plan on talking with her but strangely napping beside her, she kept silent. In the arms of silence, she couldn't help but to blame herself again from what happened to Desma. Different images of her dying in Lantis' arms, covered with bruises and blood ties her throat in knot, she couldn't breathe!

"Are you okay?" she suddenly heard Lantis' voice and she couldn't help but to jerk away from him. "You're pale…" his eyes sparkled with something she couldn't comprehend. Is it concern?

"I'm fine. There's nothing for you to worry." She said not bothering to face him. Lantis didn't press on her and came back to his napping form. "Uhm… Lantis, are you sad?" she asked suddenly.

"Why do you ask?" he asked instead of answering her question.

"I was wondering what you felt now that Desma's gone… I'm worried for you. It was because of me that she died…" Hikaru said in a pained voice. "Maybe, you're angry with me, am I right?" she turned to him.

Lantis sit straight before speaking. "You mustn't blame yourself for something your not at fault…" he said. "Desma knew it will anger her master if she hurts you and yet she still did it. When Desma died she asked me to tell you she's asking forgiveness for hurting you…"

"Really? But I'm not angry with her anymore! I don't think I could still feel it especially now that she's gone…" she explained. "Lantis, how about you? Are you angry with me?"

"There's no reason I could be angry with you. You're so important to me, I can't think of hating you…" Finally, Lantis was able to say it. The sentence that could start a more intimate conversation between the two of them.

Hikaru looked at Lantis with questioning eyes. "I loved you Hikaru and I still love you." He said and watch Hikaru's eyes widened with surprise and unbelief.

"But you said before that you don't love me anymore in case you don't remember!" she informed him. "Don't kid with me Lantis, it would really hurt! And I'm not used with it!" Hikaru said with an angry tone. Her eyes were looking suspiciously at him. When she motioned to leave, Lantis quickly grabbed her hand to stop her.

"Please, let me go. I don't have time to believe everything you say!" she said trying to remove Lantis' strong hands holding her wrist. "Let me go, Lantis! She demanded when she failed removing Lantis' hands. But he only stared at her as if commanding her to stay. And she did. It was her heart who decided it…

"From what I remembered, I only said that I couldn't remember telling you that I loved you." He said softly as he finally let go of her hand. Hikaru couldn't say anything after that, realizing she has misinterpreted Lantis' statement because of being too emotional at that time.

"No! There's another that you have said! You said that you're not sure if you could still love even if you memory comes back! Isn't that a very painful statement?" Hikaru said as her face flushed out of desperation to get back at him. Lantis couldn't give any reason after that as silence took over between them.

"What I said before was just a possibility that could happen if I regain my lost memory." He said. But it only flared Hikaru's fiery temper. Without saying anything, she stood up and left Lantis.

"Oh! Please stop Lantis! Don't bother me again. I've been hurt enough by you. I can't take anymore heartbreak, I'd die this time!" she shouted helplessly at Lantis when she saw him came tailing after her. Umi and Fuu who were also looking for Hikaru heard this and hid themselves from the two quarrelling couple. They heard everything Hikaru and Lantis said and the two could only laugh at this.

"Hikaru, I'm not going to hurt you!" he said in front of her, oblivious with everything around him but Hikaru. "Listen to me, _please._" He begged for the first time in his life. "I've already recovered my lost memory!" he told her.

"What?" Hikaru asked, astounded. But her heart was rejoicing. Umi and Fuu covered their mouths to avoid the loud gasps that almost came audibly from them. They too, were surprised but overjoyed.

"I've regain my memory. And now, I've realized that I still love you… I'm sorry if I have hurt you but I promise not to do it again." Lantis said solemnly.

"Lantis… I don't know what to say. I'm very sorry also for being narrow minded!" Hikaru finally gave in and came to embrace Lantis which in turn the silent swordsman returned.

Deciding to leave them for privacy, Umi and Fuu left. Fuu decided to go and accompany Ferio in his rest and Umi went to Ascot who was having the most memorable time in his life with Umi.

oOo

Inside Gastonia's battleship…

"They think the Holy Deity will always be at their side?" Leodor laughed at this thought. The death of one of his most powerful fighter didn't even affect him! Everything he had planned is going on smoothly as it is!

Even without presence of anyone inside his throne room, he walked proudly like a successful king towards the large window across his royal seat where he could overlook clearly the entire palace. The structure of Cephiro's palace is indeed an amazing structure, much more beautiful and regal than the one they had in Gastonia. At the thought of Gastonia, Leodor's face turned red and his eyes narrowed, her mind was filled with evil thoughts.

"_You are such an ambitious, young man! You're not the right person to hold the throne!" _In his mind, he could still hear the king's angry voice repeatedly in his mind making him angrier. _"Never will the crown choose someone as evil as you! For those that have the wickedest heart has the weakest heart, even weaker than the heart of the most coward being here in Gastonia!_

"I will prove to you _father_, I'm strong! And I will someday become the most powerful of all!" he whispered angrily to himself. "Cephiro will be my gateway to have that position!" and he looked sharply at the proud standing palace of Cephiro…

Hay… I'm glad Hikaru and Lantis problem has been solved… But how about Umi's? Hmmm, who do you think should she choose to love? And how about Ferio and Fuu… their relationship is going on smooth surface, what if something bad happens on one of them? Next up on the remaining chapters!


	13. Abduction

"_There's a snake hidden in the grass."_

**Virgil** (70 - 19 BC)

**Note: I do not own magic knights rayearth!!!!!!!!**

**Chapter Thirteen**

Abduction

"She will be alright…" Lantis thought, totally ignoring everything in his surrounding. Unknown to him, he was slowly walking away from where he was before. It has been two nights and three days since he had left the castle to help out the people in Viscon, another town in Cephiro, which was attacked by the Gastonian soldiers exactly the day he confessed to Hikaru about him regaining his memory. The Magic Knights wanted to go; especially Hikaru but Lantis disagreed. It's still dangerous for her to roam outside the castle freely. In the end, it was only Umi and Fuu who got to go with him at Viscon, leaving the disappointed Fire Knight but considerate enough to stay in the palace and promised to take care of herself.

"Lantis." He heard Lafarga's voice in his back, simultaneously with a slight tap in his shoulder. It woke him from his thoughts. "You must be tired; you can go have your rest for a while." There was a hint of concern in his eyes as Lantis turns to look at him but was concealed by too much exhaustion painted on his face.

"I'm fine." He answered. "However, I could suggest the same for you." He told him. Lafarga understood but didn't say anything. It was true, he badly needs rest; his body was badly beaten not from fighting but because of many days being outside the palace supervising the relocation of the people in Sefir and now the people in Viscon. But he thought it was too early for him to rest, the life of the people is more important.

"I've rested enough for today's work." Lafarga looked in the other direction where he could see the Water Knight talking with a bunch of kid around her. She was a great help there, keeping those children from disturbing them for the preparation on their flight towards the castle, and towards the residential area of the castle to seek refuge from the incoming danger Cephiro faces. For now, it is the safest place for the residents who could not protect themselves. Fuu, the Wind knight who was with Umi earlier, on the other hand, was nowhere in sight but he ignored it, thinking that she might have find other job to where she thought she could make herself more useful.

"Lantis, please tell the other guards to hurry up, we have to leave before tomorrow. It's too dangerous here already." He told Lantis as he surveyed the whole town as far as his eyes can reach. Destruction. That was all he could see. It was more painful from the past four years ago, seeing all of this, the product of their own "will" being destroyed in just a short time…

oOo

"_I will be okay!" _Hikaru remembered those words she had told Lantis before they left. It was painful for her to not be able to go there and help out… She wonders what she would see there… Was it total destruction? Will it hurt her? Will she be blaming herself again for being unable to protect them?

"I will be okay… and everything will be alright…soon." She sighed audibly. "Hope so…" she continued walking to wherever her feet will take her to ease away her boredom… She didn't even notice she was actually leaving the palace, had she not noticed a bright light hit her eyes…

"When did I came here?!" she asked herself loudly and soon realized that there was no one to answer her. There was no one around… not even one single guard…no one. "I should get inside now before everybody knows I came her without even thinking about my safety!" She turned back inside the palace when suddenly; she heard a small voice crying for help. She stopped to listen where its location is and found out it was from a nearby group of trees… Her body alerted, intending to save whoever it was when again she stopped.

"No! It might be a trap!" she told herself. "But… it could also be a real person crying for help!" her other self reasoned. Unable to decide, she could only clutch her fist. She was torn between her promise to keep safe and of her desire to save someone who needs help!

"Nonetheless, I must go there and check if it was a trap or not! After all, Master Clef finally gave us our magic…" she looked at the white gloves in her right hands with the red crystal on its center. "I'll use my magic to fight and then run towards the palace… That's it!" and she ran to towards the direction where she could hear the voice strongest….

"Something's wrong…" she thought to herself when she arrived to the place where she thought she head the voice coming from. The voice calling for help disappeared right after she set foot inside the mini forest, the group of trees where the voice is…

Indeed there was something happening. Hikaru could feel it, right to her heart. And she's afraid she couldn't identify what it is… Until A gust of wind came past her. It was cold. And She didn't know it was a warning…

She suddenly felt her body limp. She couldn't move. And she knows why… something's gripping her whole body, a rope… an invincible one, perhaps? She struggled to let go from it but it was tied around her body tightly…

Not far from her, a smoke appeared, forming a feminine form. She watched as the form finally came into her view… a woman with long brown hair. She was wearing something similar to what the late Alcyone was wearing.

"Who are you?" she was able to ask. She was still struggling to free her self from the uncomfortable grip of the invincible rope.

"Brigida. I was told to capture you after Desma's…death." The woman answered without any emotion. She had a long curly brown hair that swayed in her sides as she moves towards Hikaru. "I can't see anything powerful in you… but I can feel that your will is strong… as strong as our Princess' will…" she capped Hikaru's chin to level their eyes. The woman smiled mysteriously.

"Why are you smiling like that? There's nothing funny in my situation!" Hikaru annoyingly told the woman. But the woman who identified herself as Brigida just smiled at her, making Hikaru more annoyed and helpless. "Let me go! You coward! Why don't you fight me fairly?! If-"

"Master Leodor ordered me not hurt you, Pillar." She cut off. Without telling her any further, the woman waved her right hand past Hikaru's face. Hikaru, without any words closed her eyes and her whole body weakened. She was asleep and now totally oblivious of what is happening around her..

"_Master didn't make a mistake…she's truly powerful..."_ Brigida thought as she enveloped Hikaru in a transparent membrane that helped her carry the unconscious knight to the ship.

oOo

Umi, Lantis and Lafarga were abruptly stopped from whatever they are doing as they felt a chill throughout their body. They knew exactly that it was danger. There is danger…around them…

They noticed something is in the air… it didn't feel good. Lantis watched as Lafarga warned everyone to stay alert. Everyone felt afraid, the children cried out loud and Umi panicked on how she could stop them. She kept on telling them that everything is alright as long as they are not afraid. "Oh no, what should I do? I'm not good at this! Anyone, help me here! Fuu!" she cried when one of the children kept shouting that they'll die. Some of the women came over to help her, much to Umi's relief. But that was just for a moment. _"Where's Fuu?" _she asked herself as she momentarily surveyed the area, but to her disappointment, Fuu wasn't anywhere.

"Lantis!" she called on to the man who seemed to be in a daze while others are in a hurry to get ready. "Lantis! Have you seen Fuu?" but it looked like that he didn't her. Instead, the magic swordsman turned around towards the direction of the palace and ran. _"What the-"_ then an image of her friend left in the palace dawned to her. "No! She promised to keep safe!" it wasn't long till she decided to follow him but she was stopped by the people shouting.

She turned to them and saw the group of unknown soldiers fighting the palace soldiers. _"The Gastonians…it's them. I know it!" _She had no choice but to leave the idea of following him. She's needed here. "And_ Fuu's also missing…"_ she reminded herself.

"You bastards, come here and fight me!" she shouted towards the two enemies that's slowly approaching the children she had just decided of leaving a while ago. They turned towards her and didn't even give a second thought of turning towards her. Umi called on her swords and posed in a fighting stance. "Come on… I'll show you how strong a Magic Knight is!" The enemies attacked her together with their swords; Umi was able to block it with her sword. "See?"

The two looked at each other. It was seen on their face that they're irritated. They let go from her together which left Umi unready for a moment. They took this opportunity to attack her quickly with their crooked helmet. Umi watched in horror as their heads came so fast against her chest. She was still holding her sword in midair. "No!" she cried as she felt herself fall towards the ground. She felt pain in her chest, but not enough to let her die. Umi realized that she had her armor on, so their attack wasn't that effective.

"Damn!" she stood up despite the pain, jumped far from them and without hesitating, she called on her Magic. "Spiral Dragon!" she watched as her magic attacked them. It encircled them for a few moments then it disappeared. As she looked at the ground, she saw two small mounds of dusts…

She sighed inaudibly as she gazed at the palace. "She'll be safe… Lantis is coming for her…"

oOo

"Hikaru... wait for me... Please hold on... I'm coming to save you!" Lantis kept saying as he ran like lightning towards the direction where he sensed Hikaru's aura and another unknown aura. It was his heart afraid for Hikaru's safety that made him running here, leaving everyone in Viscon.

"I'm near..." he told himself as he felt it becomes stronger. He even fasten his pace more to reach it. Until finally he reached the place where he felt her... But there was no one there. Not even a single soul. Not even an animal...

Except for a chilly wind that made him shiver inside incoherently...

"This is where Hikaru was… taken." Lantis told himself painfully. He failed to protect her. It seemed that it was his fault. He left her alone in the palace… And now, it was too late for him to save her. She was taken and it was not only she who was in danger but also Cephiro and everyone in it…

"Leodor… you'll pay for this!"

"Hikaru…"

"Again… I failed to fulfill my promise…"

I swear… I'll come to you…"

**End of Chapter

* * *

  
**

**Sorry... if it sucks... I was so sleepy while making it... and I couldn't think straight aftermy computer was damaged. I was so annoyed when all the files I've written was lost! I couldn't recover it anymore! So here I am... cramming... there should be three chapter to be added but as I said all of it was lost!**

**I'm also running out of Idea...**

**please pray for me to have more ideas...(begging)...**

**till next time...**


	14. Aura, Clef and Umi and Gastonia

_"No passion so effectively robs the mind of all its powers of acting and rerasoning as fear"_

**Edmund Burke** (1729-1797)

I've been gone for a long time. Now I'm back to continue this.

**Chapter Fourteen**

Aura, Clef and Umi and Gastonia

The silence was so deafening. Even a single drop of water, if there is, can be heard.

"Wake up."

Amidst the silence, she heard that voice. It was cold. It was scary. It was so deep. An echo follows each time she utter the words. Yet, she couldn't distinguish who owns the owner of the voice. Is it of woman's? Or a man's?

And then the silence was gone. It was swallowed by the evil laugh. And it was deafening.

"Who are you? Where are you? Where am I?" she asked but she couldn't open her eyes so she had no idea where she was. Was she surrounded by darkness just as she was surrounded by silence earlier? Is she dead?and she's in inferno? She couldn't fathom it. But there's one thing she's sure of. She is slowly being engulfed by her fear. What if she is indeed being surrounded by darkness?and she is alone? No... she is afraid of being alone...and she never considered herself as a fan of darkness. She needs to get out before she runs out of breath...Run! But she's afraid...She's dreading the moment she opens her eyes...What will she see?

No! She has to throw that thought away! She should be strong! She should never doubt her heart! It couldn't be! She couldn't be that weak!

"My God, I need help... I guess I wasn't strong enough...everyone...where are you?"

oOo

Presia, Ascot and Master Clef looked, surprised at Umi as she hastily entered Clef's study.

"Are you okay, Umi?" Presia asked.

"Yeah." she answered but her appearance said otherwise. She looked so worn-out that it's impossible to hide it anymore. " I hope you know what happened already"

Clef nodded. He was also troubled by everything that is happening. ''Everything is happening so fast. We couldn't act on it on time."

"We found Fuu in a nearby forest, west of the village, Viscon. Lantis left after that and I haven't seen him since. Oh, Clef! Fuu's till unconscious! I'm worried!"

"Umi, you should calm down. Fuu is in good condition when you found her. It is you who we should worry about. Look at yourself!" Master Clef told her.

"You can leave everything to us here for now. Please rest Umi. I can accompany you to your room." Ascot gestured to hold Umi's shoulder but the blue knight refrained from him. "I am fine. I can rest later. After Fuu wakes up and and Hikaru's found.

"We understand that you are worried about Hikaru's safety but Umi think of what their reactions will be if they discovers that you've been neglecting your body of what it needs the most! Come on, Umi!" Presia was trying to convince her. Her voice was a little note higher and she looked irritated of her stubbornness.

"That hardheaded girl! I just hope she's ok or else I'll punch her until she sleeps for a long time. That way, we won't be worrying for her like this! I should have known how stubborn she was! To think I even trusted her to take care of herself. She's not better off herself!" Umi busted in anger. She was so worried but there isn't anything she could do but wait!

"Umi..." Ascot could only mumble her name. Is there anything she could do to comfort her? It seems there is none...

"Master Clef... can you explain to us why Leodor won't hurt her?" Umi suddenly asked. The others were puzzled by her query. "You told us before, right after we came back from the "_journey to the past_" that Leodor won't be able to hurt 'cause he needs her. Why?"

"I've been asking that myself too... why? What does he need from her..." Master Clef started. "It seems all the answer could be traced back from that small war that erupted from Gastonia..."

"What do you mean?"

"That country is a land of Magic and everything is also a product of their will. They also have the kind of ruling system that is way different from our own Pillar System before. Their pillar has a free will to choose her own happiness. They are free to love and be married and share the responsibility to the spouse. But how do they choose their Pillar?" Master Clef paused before continuing. The others went still, waiting for him to talk. " It is the same as ours. The crown searches for the one who has the strongest will in the country. The next pillar doesn't necessarily has to be the children of the current pillar...The former Pillar Gastonia had two children. The older one was known as Leodor and the younger one was named Aura."

"You mean, Master Clef... that Leodor here and the one in that battleship is the same one?" Presia asked.

"Yes...When the crown chose Aura as its rightful owner, Leodor couldn't accept it...he was blinded by the power of the pillar it could give him...he formed an alliance against her own sister. Rumors were spread about the unfairness on the choosing of the pillar. Those ignorant ones chose to believe these rumors and it has put the land in turmoil. The Pillar has the strongest will, however, a great mass of will from the people against her was powerful enough to put the palace in chaos. Despite it, there is still no one that could hurt the pillar...no one in the country can hurt her. And maybe..."

"It is the reason why Leodor is here now! He learned of the confusion that is arising here. _Who is the pillar of Cephiro?_ None. Because Hikaru was in another world! Am I right Master Clef?" Umi continued.

"But, Hikaru is the one recognized by the crown. How will Leodor convince it to be its owner?" Ascot spoke up before Master Clef could answer Umi's question.

"That remains a big mystery to me. But I have a feeling that he is thinking of using it against Aura..." Master Clef said.

"Aura..." They heard Umi whispered.

"Aura is Gastonia's princess remember?" Ascot reminded her. He thought Umi had forgotten it.

"I-I know..." Umi answered back. _"but it sounds familiar...that name...that's it! It was the name of that beautiful woman in the mirror where "Master Clef" is talking to!" _She was fully absorbed by her thoughts that she was already not aware of the curious looks her three companions in the room were giving her.

"Umi, speak up. What is on your mind? You seemed lost for a moment there..." Presia talked to the girl in a trance.

Master Clef could see the surge of different emotion that was being reflected on her face. At first, she looked lost, just as Presia said. But for a moment, she could see pain in her eyes.. then it was replaced by...

"Clef." For a moment, Umi looked down on the floor, hindering his view on her face. Then, suddenly, she looked up and looked at him directly in his eyes. Her eyes was cold and for a moment, he didn't know what to do.

"Is there any way we can do to contact her? The princess of Gastonia? She might be able to stop Leodor from his plans." Umi asked. There was a gleam of stubborn determination in her eyes saying, _"answer me, or, else..."_.

It created questions in his mind. Is it possible that Umi knew there is something he is keeping from them? Something about his past? Impossible! No one knows about it, except his former teacher!

"Why? Shouldn't we be talking to Leodor instead of Aura?" Presia said.

"We, the Magic Knights won't just advance in a battle without knowing what it is really about." she started. "I know Fuu and Hikaru would agree to this. Since it is impossible for us to talk Leodor out of his plan, we should be better off asking Princess Aura. She should have responsibility on what is happening to us now. She did not succeed disciplining that brother of her. We might understand more if we ask Aura directly. And Hikaru is in Leodor's hand. If Hikaru is fully in her consciousness, I am sure she is now asking Leodor why he is here. Let's leave that task to her. We'll know it after we rescue her. So Clef, how do we talk with Princess _Aura_?"

Master Clef didn't know what to say. He felt like there is a big stone in his throat, stopping him to answer. _How? _The answer to that is already destroyed...and he doesn't want to talk nor see her anymore. That's the only way to forget her... But he couldn't tell this to Umi. She doesn't know and maybe, she won't understand.

If she only knows...

"Master Clef...?" he heard Presia's voice calling him.

"I don't know of anything that could let us communicate with her." he answered. He saw disbelief in Umi's face.

"I couldn't believe it! You should have a way! Just as there is a way we can communicate with Autozam, Fahren and Chizeta and to other planets! You are lying!" Umi accused him furiously. _" Oh, Clef! I could kill you for lying to me! Why can there be no way? I've even saw you talk to her in that big mirror!"_ Umi thought but she couldn't reveal it to him and also tell everyone there about what she saw. How will she prove that? And for what reason?

"There really is no way, Umi. Gastonia is a very peaceful country before and they rarely let anyone contact them or get inside their barrier." Master Clef confirmed. "Go. Ask Lafarga and Lantis if you want."

"_Damn you! And you think I'll believe you? Why do you have to hide her from us? Me? What's in your love affair?"_ Umi was so furious now. " I don't believe you!"

"Umi, I-" Master Clef started to say but someone talked before he could continue.

"Cut it out Umi." Ascot said. "Master Clef said there isn't so there isn't. Why can't you believe him? Is anything wrong with you?"

"All right. If we cannot contact them we'll go to them." Umi said to the amazement of everyone there. "And no one can stop me! Not even you, Clef! So, lend me something that I can ride on! But if you don't give me one, I'll just ask Zasu and Geo for help!"

"Umi... you really never know when to rest your case." Clef said, upset. "All right you can go there if you want but how about Cephiro?"

Umi smiled, her brows creased. "I am doing this for Cephiro. As I said, maybe she can help." she said.

"If that's the case, I will go with you." Ascot presented. "You can't stop me also, Umi." he added before she could protest. "I want to make sure, you'll be alright."

"Fine. But the castle will be short of guards." Umi said. She's trying to discourage him.

"No. Let him go with you." Master Clef Agreed. "That way, I would be less worried of you."

"Thank You." Ascot could only say.

"Geez!" Umi turned her back, to hide her blushing face. Somehow, it made her happy that Clef worries for her. But she was afraid of the time she swould be seeing Aura face to face... What is she to Clef and what is Clef to Aura?

oOo

Aura shifted her gaze from the book she's reading to the small crystalline ball in her side. It was creating a blinding light, enough to give light to her darkened prayer room. She was having her rest on that very room. The very room where shewas "imprisoned" for a few years now... Yes, a few years now... Her parents are now dead. And her only family was so far away from her...Where is he?

She is hurt. Because she is all alone. Recently, the only man he loved left her. "Left" is the word even though they've never been with each other for a long time...They promised to love each other even though they're apart... Their responsibilities were keeping them apart... Gastonian needed her and Clef was needed at Cephiro.

If only. If only.

If only, she wasn't chosen as the Pillar! She could go to him and his only brother won't leave her side. They could have been happy together without any worries. Oh! She couldn't stand it anymore!

She stood up from where she is sitting and approached the small crystalline ball...

Inside the ball, she could see outside of castle. The dark sky. And an unfamiliar ship.

Aura sighed. "Are they going to invade us now? Now that they know we are in turmoil?" she asked to no one in side the room. The crystalline ball is her window to the future. Not only through her prayers can she keep the peace in the country but through the ball that shows her of what will happen.

"I can feel this country slowly weakening. And even the powers vested on me won't keep this land any longer... if only I could restore what was lost..." Aura said as tears made its way through her rosy cheeks. She was a damsel in distress with no prince to save her...

"What should I do?" she had also asked that to her self many times before.

When she realized she was in love with Clef, she asked "What should I do?". When she was chosen as the Pillar and Clef was planning to return to his home planet, she asked herself, "What should I do?". When Leodor formed an alliance and rumors about her were spread, she asked herself, "What should I do?"...and now that everything is gonna be destroyed, she couldn't help asking her self again...

"What should I do?"

She is so confused. And Fear is slowly eating her...

**end of chapter**

Whoah...i hope some more people will appreciate this...goodbye...thanks for those who reads this... don't forget to give comments.

ABout the spellings and grammars, I'm planning to do something about it. don't worry.

Bye bye...

Hint: Umi decided without thinking...what will happen because of it? Poor Umi...she just jealous, you know but tries to ignore it....

truly yours,

zini-ya

I've been thinking how I'll write the next chapter...I haven't started it yet....


	15. The Strange Prince

**Note: I just love Hikaru and Lantis… hmmm…fortune cookies…**

**Chapter Fifteen**

The Strange Prince 

"Can somebody hear me?!" Primera shouted as she flew breezily along an unfamiliar hallway. "Geez! Where the hell is this place? I couldn't remember myself coming here!" she said as her lips formed into a pout. The last thing she could remember was her going out of Mayor Remo's house where a social gathering was being held…

***

"_Stupid Lantis! Before it was Hikaru, now it's Desma! I wonder how many women will come into his life before he realizes that I am the one meant for him! Can't believe it!" Primera lamented as she flew all the way through the forest, a shortcut to reach the Cephiro castle effortlessly. _

_The forest, that night, was unusually dark. That was at least, what Primera noticed. Primera may not frequently pass that way but she could clearly remember how there were torches attached to the trees to guide and light the way for any traveler going to the castle. It was done for the convenience of any person passing that way…_

"_Weird..." Primera thought as she stopped, surveying her surroundings, using her inner senses as a fairy to detect anyone suspicious around. It was not long before she smelled something fragrant mixing with the natural scent that the trees around her give off. It was something sweet but she couldn't distinguish where it comes from and as time ticks by, the faint smell grows stronger. In effect, it was making Primera dizzy._

_It was too late before Primera realized what that smell was. Her body was already losing its strength, and slowly, her wings stopped fluttering that she fell to the ground. Although her body was aching as result of that fall, Primera tried to rise from the ground. But she could not. She was being directed to sleep. Before she closed her eyes closed, Primera vaguely saw someone kneeled beside her. It was a woman with that scent she smelled a few moments back…_

***

Now, Primera is there, in that hallway after waking up in an unfamiliar room. "Helloooooooo!" she shouted out of frustration. As though her call was answered, the door of one of the rooms in that hallway opened. A woman came out. She had short hair and at the shade of pale lavender. In fact, she was very familiar!

"_Inca!"_ that call remained only in her mind as she spotted another familiar woman emerging from the room. Her both hands were clasped in front of her. She could not discern what that woman is thinking as she followed Inca with two male guards on her both sides.

"This is strange… why is Hikaru here? And how about Inca and that two guards? And their clothing's strange. It was so different from what a Cephirian soldier wears…" Primera, getting curious of the real situation followed them and of course, without being noticed. She increased her speed when she saw them entering a room with a door which is bigger and elegantly beautified by intricate carvings. She managed to enter the room as well.

Primera found out that it was the throne room signified by the big, golden royal chair inside the room. In it, an extremely handsome man sat. He was also clad in strange clothing.

"Are you Leodor?" Hikaru finally spoke. Her head held up high showing everyone there that she is not afraid.

The man asked smiled at Hikaru before answering. "I am." He stood up from the royal chair and walked toward her. He stopped right in front of Hikaru and lowered his head to level with hers.

"What are you doing?!" Hikaru became alerted by his actions. With her strength, she was able break of the guards holding her and sprinted backwards.

"Nothing, Pillar. I just thought I wanted to see your beautiful face nearer." He said and followed it with a laugh.

Hikaru was taken aback by his actions. It seemed that Leodor was something she didn't expect him to be…

oOo

Umi sighed deeply after remembering how she was able to persuade Master Clef to let her go to Gastonia and talk to Princess Aura. The Master Mage was so firm on his decision that she almost gave up. Thanks to Ascot who volunteered to come with her.

Umi rose from the bed after four hours of sleep and went outside and looked for Ascot.

"Have you seen Ascot?" Umi asked Geo as soon as she entered the control room. The Commander of the ship was kind enough to escort them to Gastonia and it was only two days past since they left Cephiro.

"Make sure we evade- Oh! Umi? You're asking about Ascot?" Geo faced her and left what he was doing as soon as he felt her presence. "He just left. He said he was going to look for some food while he waits for you to wake up. You can see him at the canteen." He said and smiled.

"How's it going? This trip?" she asked.

"Everything's all right. Just a little change in atmosphere but there's nothing to be worried about it."

"How many more days before we arrive at Gastonia?"

"I'm afraid it would take us a month if we remain at our normal speed and a week or two if we speed up. Another is that the path towards the country is a bit rough; it makes it hard for us to go straight. There were rocks crossing our way. Probably a way of the country's protecting itself. It's the first time we've encountered this. I've never been to this country before, y' know?" Geo explained. He was sitting on the commander's chair, his hands clicking on some keys on his own computer. He was showing her the image outside the ship.

"_I don't think they're just mere rocks… err…never mind, this is not Earth anyway…_" Umi sighed, controlling herself not to smile at the naiveté of the commander about those things he referred to us "rocks". On Earth, or a million kilometers outside the Earth, those rocks are asteroids, a lump of space debris floating all over the universe. "I'm gonna go now. I'll be going to Ascot at the canteen. Bye. And Thanks."

"You're welcome, Miss!" she heard him said before the mechanical door of the room closed in front of her.

Another sigh came off from Umi as she turned her back on the door. "Why do I feel so uneasy?" she asked herself. "If only those two are with me… at least I can think that everything will be alright…" Suddenly, Umi missed her two friends she left at Cephiro. Hikaru was still captured by Leodor and Fuu who had just regained her consciousness by the time they're ready to leave Cephiro…

"_Be careful on you journey, Umi… Hikaru and I won't be there for you to rescue you in times of danger…" Fuu said her voice full of concern. She was still lying on the bed. She hasn't regained her full strength and was advised to remain on the bed._

"_There's Ascot, you know. He'll be at my side no matter what! You should be the one we're worrying here! You're still as weak as a toddler. You can't even support yourself to sit unless you're assisted." Umi answered, ignoring Fuu's worries. _

"Yeah… there's still Ascot who's with me here. That should be fine…" Umi muttered those words before walking to the canteen to look for Ascot.

oOo

"I never expected Cephiro's Pillar to be this simple." Leodor continued. "But nevertheless, you're beauty is still incomparable _if_ only you could wear the right clothes, what do you think?"

Hikaru blushed and stood from her seat. She pounded on the table as she said "I don't need that kind of words from you!"

It took a few seconds before the prince could answer. His eyes sparkled with emotion that was gone quickly that Hikaru didn't even notice it. He put his tea on the circular table between them and spoke. "That's not even the right manner for a princess. Haven't anyone taught you anything?" he asked.

"That's none of your business!" Hikaru said calmly now and reclaimed her seat. "Return me to Cephiro. I don't need to be here. Go away from here! Cephiro doesn't need you."

"I'm afraid that's impossible, Pillar. As my future wife, you have to be here." Leodor answered so comfortably as though what he said was _normal_.

"W-what? Future…wife? How come? I don't understand you? _How come our conversation led to this? I couldn't understand it anymore!" _Hikaru was taken aback by what he said. She couldn't form a word of protest! She thought the guy was going nuts.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because I need Cephiro for my ambition. For that, I'll have to marry you." This time another emotion sparkled on his eyes and Hikaru saw it… It was something that put shiver on her spine. Something that she _should_ really worry about.

"I think you're getting the wrong idea. This is Cephiro not Gastonia. Pillars here don't marry." Hikaru was so disturbed by what he saw in his eyes that she couldn't raise her voice.

"Hmm?" Leodor closed his eyes and for a moment, Hikaru thought he was ignoring her completely. But then, his eyes opened and the emotion that was there was gone. His eyes were again as calm as the sky. "Tea time is over, Pillar. You have to be returned in your room." Leodor stood up and signaled Inca and the two guards to send her to her room.

Before leaving the room, Hikaru cast a glance to the Prince who was about to invade Cephiro. He was already sitting on his throne; his eyes were closed as though he was in pain. Hikaru thought, right at that moment that something was really, really wrong…

oOo

_She was not alone. That's already certain. The strange feeling she felt before when set foot at the forest was not her imagination. It was real and there he was, standing in front of her, smiling evilly…_

"_Who are you?" _

"_Aren't you afraid in me?" Even his voice was so cold that she wanted to run as far as possible from him. "I am Leodor."_

"_What do you want?" she asked. Strange it may be but she felt like there's no reason for her to summon her sword. But still, she took the proper caution, she jumped away from him._

"_I only need your energy, Magic Knight so I came here." Fuu watched as he walked near her. She tried to move but she couldn't. Leodor has taken control of her._

"Fuu?" it was Ferio's voice that had waken her from that memory. Until now, she couldn't forget it despite the fact that it was all over and that she should be thankful instead that only her energy was taken. But that only made her think of many questions…

"Ferio… forgive me for bringing this subject again. But it won't make me peaceful until I find answers to my questions…" Ferio paid attention to what Fuu was saying. Seeing how disturbed she is is an enough reason for him to listen.

"Why, Fuu?"

"I just feel something was wrong with that Prince. For what is he going that energy he had taken from me for?" Fuu continued asking herself while Ferio listened.

"If only I could answer your questions, Fuu, so that you won't be this worried anymore…" Ferio gently pulled his girlfriend into him, almost embracing her. The night was still young, and the two of them agreed to spend it by watching the sky full of sparkling stars at a place that is still under the castle's turf.

"Everytime I remember that day it happened, I can't stop myself but feel the same fear I felt that day. I thought he was going to kill me…" Fuu tilted her head towards Ferio's chest to feel the same calm sensation she feel everytime she's in his arms. In his arms, she felt secured and contented…

For now, for the sake of that feeling, she would forget about Leodor and that fear he gave her… she'll forget Cephiro and savor this moment with Ferio…

oOo

"When, My Lady? When is my desire going to be realized?"

Leodor stood alone in front of a big circle form of energy. His appearance looked like that of someone who's in a trance. The light that the small ball give off didn't' even made the room brighter, instead, darker.

"Soon. The long wait is all worth it. Patience is all you have to do and your desire will be realized…" a voice came from the ball of negative energy.

To this, Leodor's heart couldn't feel more contented. Knowing that everything's at its nearest, he gave out a hearty laugh to which the voice from the ball of negative energy accompanied it with an evil laugh.

­­to be continued

* * *

Well, I'm so glad I got to finish another chapter again! And that's after a few months of not updating…

--- info: I'm afraid Umi, Ascot and those in the trip won't be seen much on one chapter or two…unless I change my mind on giving them a once-in-a-lifetime adventure while on their trip…I hope it's okay…

---and more reviews please? Comments…on everything…the spelling, the grammar, etc…it would be appreciated so that I would not commit the same mistake anymore, okay?

---no flames please…especially to that asteroid part, okay? But I'm open about corrections… ---

--- oOo - it indicates another scene/next scene, *** - memory or dream

---It's already one in the morning…I'm going to sleep now… hayyyy….


	16. Clef's memories,where the battleship is

note: I just love MKR. I even have a copy of it...and thanks for the comments.

**Chapter Sixteen**

Clef's Memories

Where the Battleship Is

To Gastonia

_***_

_Clef rose and put on his robe which he took off before plopping himself on the grass, using all of his time on admiring the beautiful sky of Gastonia. It was almost time for him to go to Master Anru who needs his help on some ancient magic potion he is trying to revive. "Ah…everyday is really getting boring. If only Master Anru could let me go home now…He has no need of me anymore…" At the thought of him going back to his home country, a sudden flash of sorrow clouted his heart. He had spent most of his time for vacation in this country, and in that short period of time, many things have happened. Things that made his heart mature and which made him ready to take on the new responsibility that awaits him in Cephiro. _

"_Clef is it true?" a sweet, melodious voice stopped him from making his step out of there. He looked in the direction of the voice. A woman with a long straight hair, the color of jade and with beautiful, warm brown eyes stood there._

_Clef didn't answer her. Thinking of a way he could get out of such situation he had been dreading to arrive. The moment he'll have to confront Aura, her tears and sorrow. _

"_You're really leaving?"_

"_I have to, Aura. I have a duty left in my own country…" Clef answered. He was almost cursing himself as tears appeared at the rim of her eyes. How did she know about his departure two days from now? He has been hiding that until now…_

"_I see… and I guess it is something very important." Aura said her tears continued to flow from her eyes. She couldn't hide the fact that Clef's departure could bring her so much sorrow. She knew it even before and thought se could handle it when the time comes. It seems she was wrong…"You didn't even say anything to me…"_

"_Aura… I am very sorry." Clef said apologetically. However, his heart is crying too! Whatever was between them, it is something he had "regretted" in going to Gastonia. He went to Gastonia to gather more knowledge about magic, and to observe the ruling a country that is so much like Cephiro. Falling in love was the last thing on his mind. For him, love is something that should not happen at that time of his life. He has yet to experience many things, being a better magician, a successor to the position his Master will leave to him as his chosen successor, the Supreme Mage in Cephiro, and together with it, he will guide the new born Pillar on her duties._

"_How I wish you could stay here. With me… Stay, Clef." Aura almost pleaded. Call it desperation but she needs Clef to stay. Call it selfishness…_

"_No. Aura, you shouldn't be saying that! I wish you would go away… I can't stay here." That was all that came from Clef's mouth. It's hard for him to drive her away; he had to use those words. _

_Clef turned his back on Aura, hiding his face from her. No one should see what he looks like. No one should see the tears that he could not stop from pouring. Aura's hope may rise and she will be hurt more. Clef will not change is mind. _

_***_

Master Clef woke up full of sweat. It was the first time he had dreamed about the past. The past the he had tried to forget…

"Aura…" he whispered. "Why now?"

He weakly left the bed and dressed in his usual attire. He was trying to ignore the developing ache in his head. He felt so weak that he wanted to sleep the whole day. But he can't. He remembered about meeting that will be held a few moments from now.

Aura was his first love and she, ironically, will be his last love. He tried his best to forget her but Aura's face kept nagging his mind, always making him remember her. But no matter how much he tell himself he loves her, he knows he could never be good for her. He had never been since ages ago… He had been a coward. Just as what she called him at the last time they met…

oOo

"Where's Master Clef?"

Those were the words that came out of Fuu after she entered the room where everyone gathered. There was Ferio, Caldina, Lafarga and Lantis and another man who was obviously a soldier. The man bowed his head when he realized Fuu's gaze lingered on him a little longer than she had with the others.

"He's coming over just a little late. We can wait for him a little longer." Ferio answered. Fuu stood beside him. She smiled at him when she felt his hand possessively held her right hand.

"I am sure you are curious who this handsome _fella _here with us in the room." Caldina said particularly to Fuu. Fuu nodded in return.

"I haven't seen him before."

"My name is Kruz, Lady Magic Knight." The tall man who was beside Lantis said and did another bow. "I held the position of Geta. I was in-charged of escorting the residents of the remaining villages here in the castle."

"_Geta?_" Fuu said the words inquiring for an explanation.

"Unlike Lantis and Lafarga, Kruz is more often assigned to missions outside the castle. It is his duty to go around the country, taking notes of every little change in Cephiro. He is here to report about it. As well as the current location of the battleship of Gastonia which was suddenly gone on Cephiro's surface." Lafarga explained.

"You found out where they are hiding?" Fuu asked Kruz.

"Yes." Just as Kruz answered, they heard the door opened, and waited as Master Clef entered. Everyone in the room bowed to show respect towards the mage.

"Kruz, I am glad you made it here safe." Master Clef said after acknowledging the Geta's presence. "You may start reporting now."

Kruz raised his hands above the circular screen surrounded by everyone. An image appeared on the screen. It was a view of vast pampas at the end part of Cephiro up north. "Just as expected, there were more monsters roaming around Cephiro. However, this particular place is where there are more monsters roaming around. Monsters of every kind…And it seems suspicious. That is why I concentrated on surveying the area."

"What are you implying, Kruz?" Ferio asked, obviously interested on where the Geta's getting to.

"There weren't many people residing in that area, and that place has been peaceful until this turmoil…. All the Cephirians have been evacuated here in the castle, and the fact that the Magic Knights are here made them more feel safe. It is impossible to have that many monsters there." Kruz continued reporting.

"As I know, monsters are created by fear in the hearts of the people. The fact that there are many beasts in that area where there are fewer residents makes it suspicious. Am I right?" Fuu interrupted, saying her own analysis.

"Yes." Kruz raised his hands again above the screen which showed another image. "Look at this."

Everyone looked closely in the screen. They could see the grassland and the sea, another weird image is appearing on the screen. Like a transparent shield forming something big, like a vessel. "That's strange… I don't understand… Kruz?" Presia was the first one to ask.

"I asked some of my best men to search out the area. However, only one of them came out alive. He told me that Gastonia's warriors appeared while they are surveying the area. They suddenly came out of nowhere and attacked them, preventing them to go further. From that, I concluded that whatever was there is the battleship we've been looking for. That strange object you're seeing is an invincible shield created to prevent us from finding them." Kruz finally ended the report.

Silence befell everyone in the room. It was Ferio who finally broke it, sensing that no one in the room plans on breaking it. "Nice job, Geta Kruz. Now, we will be able to rescue Hikaru."

"It is my honor to be of help for this country." Kruz acknowledged the praise.

"Yeah. Now that we know, we can start planning on how to get there. So, what does everyone think about it?" Presia supported.

"Lafarga, what do you think?" Master Clef asked.

"Master Clef, allow me to put Geta Cruz on this mission. He is more familiar with the area and everything about it. I believe he has enough combat skills to carry out the mission. Also, I want Lantis to assist him on this mission." Lafarga answered.

"Very well, then. We will leave all the planning to Kruz and Lantis. Lafarga, I want you to continue aiding them on everything. And also, remember to assess the situation first before planning on everything. We only know of the location, but how we can penetrate the battleship remains obscure. Is there anything else we have to acknowledge here?" Master Clef said, his face flaccid, as though he's only there for the sake of continuing the meeting.

"Master Clef…" it was Fuu. "About Umi… I am just worried about them. Isn't there any way were we can contact them? Or at least, know where they are now?"

"Unfortunately, there is no other way. They are already outside Cephiro's space so it's impossible for me to locate them." Master Clef answered.

"Don't worry, Fuu… Ascot is on her side and also that commander named Geo and also Zasu. I'm sure they'll protect her." Presia assured her.

"Really… that girl's such a pain. Deciding impulsively… I'm sure Hikaru would be running here and there out of worry if she finds about it. Geez! It makes my head ache!" Caldina grumbled. Everyone agreed with her. Hikaru's another impulsive individual, but seems unaware of it. Once she knows what Umi did, she would be worrying like hell as though she herself doesn't do that to everyone else.

"If there isn't anything anymore we can talk here, then I announce that this meeting is adjourned. All of us can now rest." Master Clef said. And without waiting for everyone to say anything, he left. Everyone had curious look on their face as they watch the Master Mage disappear from their sight. Lantis followed.

Master Clef had been acting strange recently. And it was the same with Lantis. For the past few days, he was back on the same, old Lantis. Quiet and almost unseen by everyone. And for the whole duration of the meeting, he didn't say a single word.

"Lantis." Lafarga called out. Lantis stopped and waited for what Lafarga will say. "Don't forget what we talked about earlier. You must assist Kruz on the planning."

"You know where to find me, Kruz." That was all that Lantis said before leaving everyone.

oOo

"Geo, what's happening?" Umi said as soon as she entered the control room. She was roaming around the battleship accompanied by Ascot when suddenly they felt the whole NSX ship quaked. They rushed to the control room to know what happened.

Umi wasn't able to say anything when her gaze went on the screen. There were many rocks approaching them! "What is happening outside, Geo?"

"I don't know. There's no malfunction in our system but for some reason the ship's suddenly scurrying at full speed. We're trying our best to find out why!" Geo answered impatiently.

"Umi…" Ascot called. "Are you okay?"

"I'm alright." She sighed. "I just hope I could do something to help! At this rate…"

"Don't worry, Miss. We can get you there unscratched, that's a promise." Geo momentarily left what he's doing and faced Umi. "Leave everything to us!" he smiled before turning his back on them. "Lacker! Stop being passive, do your work! Concentrate on invading that giant rocks!" Geo shouted on one of the men in charge of keeping the ship on its track. Geo pushed one of the buttons on his computer, and then Zasu's face appeared on the screen.

"What?!" the chief mechanic said impatiently. "Can't you see we're busy here?"

"What are you doing in there?! Still can't figure out what's the problem?" Geo asked.

"There _was_ no problem but now there_ is_! The engine's starting to overheat because of the speed the ship's running! Any moment now, we're going to be idle!" Zasu said on the screen that's starting to disappear. Geo, Umi and Ascot could see the lights on the background turning on and off. "We're doing something about it!"

"Shit!" Geo cried when even the screen totally turned off. He pressed another button before standing up. "Declaring red alert to the whole ship! Everyone brace yourself. Any moment from now, this ship's going to fall down!" He announced.

"What?!" Umi and Ascot said in unison.

"What do you mean we're going down? There's still no way to stop this?" Umi asked. There was panic in her voice. She had never thought in her whole life that she's going to die there.

"Only a miracle can save us… sorry." Geo said faintly He looked away so she can't see his face. He was hiding himself, cursing himself for not being able to make a promise to be true.

"Umi! Geo! Look! What was that light?" Ascot asked. He was looking in the big screen in front of them. The other two looked at the screen and saw it too.

"What is that?" Geo asked. "Lacker! Try to avoid it!"

"No!" Umi shouted. "Get in to the light!" Geo gave her a misbelieving look. "Now! Trust me, Geo! I don't feel anything bad with that light! _I felt the same way when we were being engulfed by that light in the Tokyo Tower!_" Umi kept the last words to herself.

Hesitantly, Geo commanded his men to continue approaching the light. They didn't have to wait long when they're engulfed by it…

A few seconds later, everyone in the ship thought they're dead. The quaking stopped and couldn't feel anything or hear anything. Only the warmth of the light that embraced them…

Umi opened her eyes first. She gasped at what came to her view. "Everyone, open your eyes!"

"Where is this place?" Geo asked, confused at what really happened earlier.

The screen on Geo's own computer turned on and showed Zasu's face. "Geo, what's happening up there? The engine stopped working and as well as the ship! Geo! Geo, hey!" he called out but no one answered him.

"Commander, there are people approaching the ship! From what they look like, they are Gastonian soldiers." Lacker informed.

"What? Then, we are in Gastonia!" Geo reacted. "The screen! Where are they?" No matter how he searched the screen, no one's there.

"They are still far from us but are fast approaching. Most of them riding in horses." Lacker answered.

"Could it be they already know about us?" Umi asked. "Great! They could bring me to the Princess!

"We are not sure about that… for all we know, they are part of the people rebelling against the Princess." Geo said. "I feel something bad about this…"

To be continued...

* * *

+ As the story gets farther, it becomes harder to continue writing it….grrr….thank God, it's still vacation! 10:35 pm….

+actually, this chapter should have been long but i've decided to add it on the next chapter...watch out for what will happen next!

+new character: Kruz - a soldier that is often in charged of roaming all around Cephiro to take note of every little changes that happens in Cephiro. It was added to lessen the job given to LAntis and LAfarga...


	17. Mysterious Encounter

**Chapter Seventeen**

Mysterious Encounter

_Gastonia…_

The small carriage where Ascot, Geo and Zasu locked up while hand-tied stopped right in front of an enormous and beautiful palace. The door towards the castle opened, revealing a tall man wearing a robe that fell down the floor. He has hair the color of the snow and warm blue eyes. He was carrying his magical staff on his right hand. The three captives followed as the guards ordered them to get out of the carriage.

"Who are you?" Geo asked.

"Where is the girl with you?" he obviously ignored the question and asked instead.

"We are not answering your question unless you answer ours! Mr. Snow Hair!" Zasu said angrily. He was obviously pissed with the way they are being treated.

"Stop it! You're going to put us in a more complicated situa-" Geo stopped talking right when he felt his hands free from the rope tying it before.

"I am this country's Master Mage, Clew. The princess knew that you mean no harm to this country that was why she had decided to use her power to send you here earlier than you're supposed to arrive."

"What?! Then…" all three of them looked at each other. Obviously they were shocked. "But, we thought… those soldiers are enemies." Ascot continued.

oOo

Umi tightened the big cloth all over her body to make sure no one recognizes her. At the thought of her current situation, she could feel a tightening in her stomach and a hand gripping her heart. She was on her own now. She had to leave Ascot in the forest so that he could get the Gastonian soldiers' attention while she ran in the opposite direction taking the opportunity to lose the enemy tailing her. They had to do that, they were outnumbered. It was not a good idea to stay in the same area together or they would meet the same end. Ascot had promised her he will be following after defeating the enemies. But that promise has long been gone…

And Umi was worried of what had become of him. Stupid idea it may be, but she decided to go back to the place where she left him while telling herself again and again that she shouldn't have left him. It was a form of a cowardly behavior. "_But then, there was no time for us to think properly. That was the only idea we have come up with. Or rather, Ascot came up with…" _Umi told herself. She had realized now that Ascot has thought only of her own safety… Thinking of that made her only felt worse. And even more badly when she arrived to the place and it looked like no fight has taken place there.

Umi was left all alone. To that strange place where people seemed unaware of her existence, and of course, she was thankful for that. Maintaining a low profile is the best for now.

She was not able to stop herself cursing when her stomach protested out of hunger. With that, she thought, _"What I am thanking for? I'm practically left here with nothing!"_

Umi walked near one of the foodstands and tried to look at it. She learned that the lady vendor was selling some Gastonian food (since it's not familiar to her, she didn't even see it in Cephiro). _"I wonder how I can get some of those…"_

"You can give some items in exchange of the commodity you want to have." Umi turned around and saw the woman who just answered her as though she had read her thoughts. She was smiling at her. And oh, what a sunny smile she has…

"I don't have anything to barter…" she said awkwardly, still awed by the woman's mesmerizing smile.

The kind woman smiled. She held her right palm open for her to see the coins she was holding. "You can use these coins, too."

"Thanks." Umi smiled and took the coins without hesitation and bought some food.

"What's your name?" Umi asked as the two of them continued walking without any particular direction to go. "I am Umi."

"Aureleah."

"I could have continued starving there if you didn't come and help me." Umi laughed at the thought. She momentarily forgot about the mixed irritation, worry and fear she had felt a while ago just because of the kindness Aureleah has shown her.

"The moment I saw you standing there and gazing at those foods, I realized that you need help. And also, you don't look plain among everybody else here. You stand out with those foreign clothes you're wearing and with a big, old cloth surrounded around your body." Aureleah giggled.

"_Sheesh…and here I am thinking that I should maintain a low profile!" _Umi thought and was a bit embarrassed as she tried to imagine her appearance earlier.

"You're not a native, I suppose."

There was a few seconds interval before Umi could react. "Well…"

"Visitors are very rare here, especially in this country's current situation." Aureleah said.

Umi was speechless at the woman's sudden seriousness. She looked at her curiously, hoping that Aureleah will continue talking about the country. She looked at her eyes and an image suddenly appeared in her mind. She tried to erase it since they are totally different persons. "Look around us… Do you see something wrong?"

Yes. There is. There were fewer people, unlike in Cephiro when they arrived earlier and before the disturbance caused by Leodor's fleet. There were no children around. And the people seemed to be watchful. Umi remembered how the lady vendor looked at her from head to toe before reaching out her hand to get her payments.

"I heard about the pandemonium your country is in. It seems the current Pillar is being questioned about the authenticity of her being a _Pillar_. And it was all started by her brother…" Umi said.

Aureleah sighed. "Nobody expected he would turn against his own sister. He drastically changed. The Princess was taken by grief because of what happened. And she was now all alone in the palace, accompanied by her loyal officials and Master Clew."

Umi eyed the woman. She was obviously absorbed in her own thoughts. And it seemed she knew many things on everything happening between the royal siblings.

"Aureleah… on what side are you on?"

"I…I don't know myself. I-I am very confused right now." The woman answered as her eyes avoided being in contact with Umi's. "Going back to the earlier topic… what is your purpose being in this country?"

"I want to see the Princess. And I mean business." Umi said sincerely. _Why am do I feel I am being questioned here? _"Although, I can't tell you about it. It's something delicate to be talked _here_."

"The Princess? And you mean no harm?"

"Yes to both question. And yet, I do not know how to get there… and for sure it's totally, heavily guarded!" Umi declared with defeat in her voice. "How about you? Do you know the Princess personally? You seem to know so much about her…

Aureleah smiled. A smile that says _she knows something_ but _she won't say it_. "Fairly, yes. I…I've been in the palace before." She said and looked at the direction where the sky is slowly turning carroty… That was when Umi realized that it was starting to get dark and she hasn't accomplished anything yet.

"Let's go."

"Huh?" Umi looked at Aureleah. "To where?"

"There. Where you want to go. I'll guide you." She answered and started walking.

"At the palace, huh? So you really have been there before…" Umi wasn't sure if Aureleah heard her since she didn't say anything. She decided to follow her. Anyways, it better to have something to follow than nothing at all, that's what Fuu had told her before… and she felt Aureleah is a good person. She can trust her.

_A few hours later…_

"Umi… we're finally here."

They stopped in the area where there are many trees. There's no palace in sight. "Unless it's an invincible palace…Aureleah, will you please explain this to me?" she asked trying to be patient to the kind woman.

"The palace is just ahead of us. You just have to go straight, through where the moon's direction is."

"Right. Let's go." Umi finally started to walk without giving Aureleah a second glance. _"Once I arrive, I'll talk the Princess into helping me rescue Ascot, Geo and Zasu, of course, the whole NSX fleet…" _ She was finally able to breath out of relief when the palace came into view. And it was so breathtaking, with the big moon showering the crown of the palace with its luminosity. And she had to admit, without bias judgment and all; Gastonia's palace is more beautiful than Cephiro's palace. The palace looked like it was sparkling, with the moon's help. It was smaller, though.

"So…romantic! Aureleah, I must thank you!" Umi looked behind her only to know that she was all alone there, surrounded by the darkness… "Where is she?" Umi wondered when Aureleah really was no where in sight, not even a small portion of her aura.

A gust of wind blew that sent her shivering. And along the wind came a whisper…

_You passed. _

"I must be imagining things!" she said to herself and decided to go on her way to the palace.

She was wrong when she said that the palace is heavily guarded. In fact, she was able to go near the big entrance door. "How suspicious…" Umi thought. She reached for the door but it opened just before she could touch it.

Umi stood there, surprised at what she saw. The people in front of her… there are four of them… "Could it be? Did Aureleah betray me? Am I taken into the wrong place without my knowledge?" she asked herself, loud enough for the four people to hear.

Ascot smiled. "Umi, you arrived. I'm glad you're okay!" he said, relieved to finally see her. Earlier, Master Clew told them that Umi is in good hands and will arrive safely in the palace with the Princess' help. He wanted to believe that although half of him wanted to go out and search for her.

"Ascot? Geo? Zasu?" Umi's eyes darted to their free hands (as if expecting them to be hand-tied) then to the tall, long-haired man wearing a long robe with the magical staff in his hands. The man bowed his head as though acknowledging her. "Who are you?"

"I am this country's mage, Lady Magic Knight. My name is Clew." He introduced himself.

Umi only looked at him, trying to figure out what was happening. "He is not an enemy, Miss. Those guards earlier when we arrived are part of Princess Aura's sentinels."

"Oh! Then, I-I must introduce myself too… Umm… I am Umi, a Magic Knight from Cephiro. I am more than glad that we're not really in danger now." Umi said, suddenly being polite.

"Yes, so there's nothing to worry now. I am also glad you weren't hurt. It seemed the Princess did her promise to help you." Zasu cut in, his face with a wide smile. "Thank goodness, all of us are in good hands. And the ship we arrived in is already being taking cared of and being repaired for any damages-Ouch!" He cried when suddenly he felt Geo's punch landed on his head. "Why did you do that?!"

"Young man, why do you have to always cut in and steal my lines?" Geo asked instead of answering, at the same time trying to prevent his anger from exploding.

"Yeah? Why do you always have punch my precious head?!"

"Because you deserve it and I'm your superior! The commander, don't you forget that!"

"Grrr! Hmp! I don't care!"

"Excuse me for cutting you off from your _prized_ conversation but the Princess is now ready to see you." They heard Master Clew said which stopped the two from arguing.

"Umi, let's go…" Ascot urged Umi and walk alongside her. They followed Master Clew. They walked for about ten minutes; they passed by a long corridor, wide and brightly lighted. The walls were intricately drawn with some flowery trend in a color that's pleasant to the eyes. It's not too exaggerated but done in a fashionable way. Obviously, the whole castle is designed by someone who loves flowers. Umi can't comment anything bad about it. After all, it's not that bad for her taste. Finally, they stopped in front of a large door.

"Only the Magic Knight may enter." Master Clew said as he turns to face them.

"Aw! Too bad, I wanted to see the Princess so much!" Zasu said, disappointment was on his face. Zasu knew that Gastonia is a very private country and not anyone can enter it and see the Pillar. Negotiations and other transactions were left on the Officials of the castle, led by the Highest Mage, Clew. It would be an once-in-a-lifetime chance to see the reticent Princess who almost surpassed Cephiro's Princess Emeraude in popularity and beauty.

Umi's hand clasped tightly with Ascot's hand. The Palu could only look at her with puzzled eyes. "I will not enter alone. I want Ascot to go with me inside." She said and looked at Ascot and smiled. "I need you to be with me, Ascot." And her eyes glinted with anticipation. Ascot, before he knew it, nodded.

Master Clew was silent for a moment and nodded in agreement. "Only one may come with Lady Umi inside." He said, his eyes looking at Geo and Zasu who looked like they are going to argue.

"All right. We clearly understand." Geo said and tapped Zasu's shoulder, as if telling him not to argue anymore.

The door opened and the two of them went in, leaving Master Clew, Geo and Zasu outside.

The door closed silently behind them. They stopped in a carpet which led to the other end of the room where something like a big and opened shell and green colored, is situated. Someone was sitting there. And for a moment, Umi thought that mermaid minus fishtail and an underwater background is sitting there.

Umi eyed the room. She noticed that it was a large, circular room. The room is well lighted, although she couldn't fathom where the light comes from. The walls were sea green in color which contradicts the "theme" on the corridor walls they passed outside… _"And the walls outside is "flowery"__**! **__Should I change my opinion about the designer of this palace? Weird…"_ Umi thought.

"Come closer. We can't talk in this distance." A melodious voice awakened Umi from her thoughts. It was a _very_ familiar voice…

Umi followed as Ascot pulled her to walk forward; nearer the princess. The princess was sitting comfortably at the shell that was prepared only for her; she could sit or sleep in it. Umi noticed farther that the big sea shell-cum-chair-cum-bed is colored in a darker shade of green. The princess was wearing an immaculately white gown made of a soft fabric. It was long since the edges flowed freely up to the floor. She sat properly when they stopped near her.

Princess Aura is really pretty, no, she's beautiful. She's so gorgeous despite her simple dress. More beautiful than when Umi seen her in the mirror, crying and pleading (Chapter Seven). And judging from her looks, she looked like Presia's age. _"Don't be fooled by her appearance, Umi. That woman lived for as long as Clef lived. She's even older than Princess Emeraude. And surely, Presia is more younger."_ Umi reminded herself, while her eyes never left the Princess. She still had the beautiful hair she had when Umi saw her in the mirror and those soft, brown eyes. _She looked like a damsel in distress in those fairytales they have on Earth."_ Umi noticed. Her eyes were lonely. Was it because of Clef? Of Love? Umi sighed knowing that it is love and it is Clef that makes her eyes so full of sadness. _Those warm, brown eyes; beautiful and so familiar. _

"May I know what your names are?" Princess Aura asked in a friendly manner.

Umi felt Ascot elbowed her subtly, and quickly, she understood why. Umi inhaled and introduced herself. "I am Umi. I came from Cephiro. I am a Magic Knight; I suppose you are familiar with those words."

"I am Ascot, a Palu. I came here to assist Umi on her journey here."

"It's nice meeting you two. I am Princess Aura, the Pillar of Gastonia." The Princess smiled which didn't reach up to her eyes, then turned to Umi. "And yes I am. Not so long ago, I have heard of you as Cephiro's defenders against the three countries and a powerful, dark and evil creature from invasion. And not to mention that the Magic Knights has also been a part of our history. Only that they were still a legend and not needed here."

Hearing that Gastonia has there own story of the Magic Knights legend, Umi looked at Ascot for answers. "Umi, I didn't know the details but the Magic Knights' legend do exist here…"

Umi nodded, her lips just formed into an "O". "Yeah… although Gastonia is so much like Cephiro, it is very unlikely for you to have a Pillar that will be in the same situation with the last Pillar of Cephiro. Pillars here are lucky, that's what I can say."

"Yeah…I guess you can say that…" a sign of tears almost emerged from the rim of her eyes, although for some reason the Princess was able to prevent it from falling, which instigated the building tension around them.

There was a moment of silence around them for a while but Princess Aura suddenly, to Umi's slight surprise, was able to lighten the mood when she invited them to a tea, with a bright smile on her face. Umi could not figure out how she did that. Was that deep sorrow she saw in the princess eyes just mere imagination? Or was it because of the heavy load of sadness on her own heart's fault and was unconsciously affected by it to the point that she could even think that the Princess is also sad. Because Princess Aura is still hurting from her love for Clef and she was the same with her?

Umi looked at Ascot as he answered "yes" for her. _"But Ascot looks okay although I know he is hurting because of me… I can't see it. I know what I've seen earlier is real…She is trying to hide her feelings!"_

"So…can you tell me why you seek to see me?" Princess Aura asked when they're already seated in the tea table. They were still inside the castle although not in the same room anymore. They're in another room watching the view of a beautiful garden outside.

"It's something very important, Princess Aura. I believe that we need your help." Umi rashly answered.

"You believe you need my help? How? Is Cephiro in famine or any crisis?" she asked, putting down the cup. She was now in full attention to them.

"It is your power that we need? I- err…" Umi seemed speechless and looked at Ascot for help.

"Have you not known already, Princess Aura? It is more than a famine or a crisis that Cephiro faces. It is your brother that is spreading fear in Cephiro. And _maybe_ right at this time, Hikaru, the Chosen Pillar after the late Princess Emeraude is still in his hands." Ascot said, rescuing Umi.

"Yes!" Umi said, regaining her composure. "You have to stop your brother! I don't know exactly why he is doing that! For what? For power? It's ridiculous, knowing that he _can't _ just become Cephiro's Pillar unless there comes a chance that the current Pillar dies and he is the next chosen by the Pillar!" she said, her emotions suddenly rocketing upwards. Suddenly, there's so many thing's she wants to say!

"But… I don't know what I can do." Princess Aura said, frowning and yet, still beautiful. "Besides, how will I know that you are not lying?"

Umi and Ascot could not believe what she just said. "How will you know we're not lying?" Umi said, getting irritated by the minute. "Then how do you know that we're not enemies and that you can trust us?! You let us in the castle and it was you who transported us here!" she asked. _"Relax…you have been keeping your cool earlier. Why can't you do it now?" _Umi helplessly told herself. She thought she was okay and will still be _now,_ but she was wrong!

"Umi…" Ascot called trying to tellUmi to calm down.

"So?" Umi said waiting for an answer.

Princess Aura looked at her and smiled. "It was easy. You passed." She said.

"What?"

"You passed." Princess Aura repeated. She smiled. Mischief was in her eyes.

"How could you?" Umi said. She was slowly realizing something. And an image appeared into her mind. A _sunny smile_. And those… _warm, brown eyes_! "You?"_ Where is that Princess whose eyes was full of sorrow a while ago?!_

**++to be continued++**

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* * *

**

+++ Hello! Aureleah is not pronounced as Awrel-yah... it should be pronounced as Awre-le-yah... sorry, i don't have much time to write it in IPA symbols...

+++ So far, this is the first longest one I wrote. I wasn't sure how to write the Umi-Aura encounter…I mean _whew_! I really wanted to write _something_ but I don't know how to write that _something_! So _that_ was what I can produce. Don't get disappointed, please?

+++up to the next chapter!


	18. Ascot's Resolve

_"The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity. The fears are paper tigers. You can do anything you decide to do. You can act to change and control your life; and the procedure, the process is its own reward." _Robyn Davidson

Zini-ya: _One thing I forgot was what Gastonia's battleship should be called… I decided to give it a name. _ And before anything else, I'd like to thank those who gave their reviews…I see that the number of reviews have improved. Ha! Ha! Ha!

**Chapter Eighteen**

Ascot's Resolve

_Cephiro…_

Lantis scanned the area where Kruz said the Gastonia battleship is located. But all he can see is a vast land of grass. The area is so quiet you wouldn't think there's a battleship residing there. But Lantis knows better. The whole fleet of Leodor is there. And he knows not because he was informed beforehand but because he can feel it. And the air…

The zephyr of wind gave them away. It was chilly, eerie and a faint sound comes with it. Anyone with enough power will notice it. And Lantis thought how wrong they are for underestimating the Cephirian intellect thinking they wouldn't be found out.

Another wind blew and Lantis became aware that he was not the only one in the area. He was right. He saw two Gastonian soldiers walking and talking with each other. Lantis was right when he decided to use his invincibility spell; they did not notice him.

"You don't think they'll find us here, huh?" one Gastonian soldier said to his buddy. They went out to survey the area that's not covered by the shield.

"Nah. It's been three days since we stopped here," the other one answered. "Yo! Where're they? Huh? Besides we already killed those soldiers who came here a few days ago." He said with a boastful tone.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Be careful buddy, you might regret what you saying. Don't judge the silence of the wind, they say."

"Yeah, right. Let's go back, nothing's suspicious here anyway."

"_Fool bastards."_ Lantis thought as he watched the guards went away, disappearing right before his eyes.

"Lantis."

Lantis looked behind him only to see the Geta staring at him, frowning at him. "You came here alone and without my knowledge." Kruz said. He went at Lantis' side and sat in the same position as he did. He squatted.

"I know what I'm doing. I just feel the need to see it for myself." Lantis looked so serious that Kruz thought something happened.

"What did you see?" Kruz asked curiously while looking where Lantis is looking. All he could see were grasses.

Lantis didn't answer. He doesn't think it's worth mentioning what he heard earlier.

"Don't worry. We can find a way to get in and look for the Lady Magic Knight. I just hope she doesn't fall for that guy. I heard he's a heartbreaker." Kruz said, unaware of the sudden change of mood of the person beside him. "I haven't seen them. The other two. Were they beautiful, huh, Lantis?" he looked at Lantis…and saw him glaring at him.

Lantis stood up. He decided it's pointless to continue talking with the Geta. And he might even end up losing his temper to him.

"What was wrong with him? The same _old_ Lantis. How refreshing!" Kruz said to himself. A few moments after that, he left and went back to the castle.

oOo

_Everesta _(Gastonia's battleship)

Hikaru frowned at herself as she realized how long she had been held captive by Leodor. And was also bit disappointed at herself for not being able to make an escape. It's not that she was not a good strategist although it was more of Fuu's line of expertise, and/or incapable of using magic, rather, there was no opportunity for her to escape. The room, big and circular in shape and she thought was _empty_ except for a bed, a side table and a chair, is heavily guarded outside as she was told earlier by Inca.

Surrounded only by silence, Hikaru thought how Leodor acted strange yesterday. He acted in a monotonous manner _except_ for the times he keeps on criticizing her on her _very unprincess-like manner_. She does not know him but she could feel there's something wrong with him. "Is he really like that? He only called me to criticize me, tell me about _me_ being his bride and then suddenly declaring that _tea time_ is over?" Hikaru blurted out even though she's alone. If only Hikaru could ask someone, chitchat with someone who could tell her about Leodor without lying to her… She reckons there won't be any single soul inside the ship who'll do that. Who will have the nerve to spill his master's _Achilles'_ _heel_? That would mean giving the enemy an advantage. "Huh… so much for easing my boredom. I only make my head hurt." Hikaru said, rolling her eyes before throwing her self on the bed.

Just in time, the door opened and a sturdy woman entered the room followed by Inca whose head remained bowed on the floor. Inca was holding a tray full of food. _"It's dinner time! The only reason for me not to go crazy here!" _Hikaru realized only three days ago that Gastonian cuisine is superb, much to her delight.

"You!" Hikaru shouted angrily when she recognized the sturdy woman. She was smiling maliciously at her.

"Got scared, huh?" she said and to which Hikaru answered, "What made you think of that?" Brigida motioned Inca to give her the tray. "Inca, stay with her to keep her company. Leodor said she should be given special treatment here." She snorted then faced Hikaru. "No walking near the door. Don't attack if you don't want to get hurt. Don't make any noise. Clear?" before Hikaru could say anything Brigida left.

"Who was that? What's her name?" Hikaru asked to Inca.

"Brigida." Inca answered as she readied the foods on the table beside the bed. "Eat."

"Yeah." Hikaru said and smiled. Inca only looked at her before stepping back to let her eat. "Even though you don't speak too much, you're the one taking care of me unlike that Brigida! She was the reason I am here." She added as she spooned some food.

"We are only acting under the Prince' command. There's no need to thank me or scorn Brigida." Inca answered. She looked disinterested about the subject at hand so Hikaru deliberately changed it. The truth is, Inca looked different from everyone else even from Desma. She looked delicate and shy, and cold. But definitely far from Brigida and Desma and miles away from Leodor. She doesn't wear any armor nor carries weapon with her. She is asked to "keep company" to a Magic Knight and does it without any armor or weapon to protect herself from any attacks, not that Hikaru is planning to hurt her. She simply looked normal. More normal than Desma who is only pretending as a harmless, Cephirian citizen living near a ravine alone, Brigida who carries an aura of a vengeful sorceress and Leodor, the eccentric prince of Gastonia…

"What are you staring at?"

"Um… can you at least tell me about the Prince? Your "Master Leodor" as you call him? You see…I just think I deserve to know the truth. Especially that I am a part of his plan to control Cephiro…" Hikaru said, trying her best to be careful not to annoy the woman.

"Truth? There is no other truth but the one that you've heard."

"I know that Leodor is against her sister, started the confusion in Gastonia, and journeyed here to invade Cephiro. But what I need to know is the _truth_. The reason behind all these. I can't put the pieces together. I know something is missing. What is it?"

"I don't understand what you're saying…" Inca said, her face showed confusion.

Hikaru heaved a sigh, and abandoned the food. "Of course, of course there's a reason you don't _understand_. Inca-"Hikaru looked at her with those eyes, full of determination for something… "Have you ever thought of your purpose for coming with Leodor? Do you really understand _fully_ his purpose?"

Inca became uneasy under Hikaru's scrutinizing eyes. "I-…"

"You don't? And if even if you did, you have easily forgotten it! Why?" Hikaru continued. "Because it's weak. Your loyalty. Your own reasons. It's not strong enough to risk your life for it."

By the look of it, it seemed Hikaru has the upper hand. Inca's resolve and façade was easily penetrated. "I don't know. I was only serving Mistress Desma. We were friends when we were young… but now she's dead. She served Leodor loyally and the only thing she had to do to anger him was to hurt you. It's unfair. She's dead for nothing!"

Hikaru, sympathizing with Inca's feeling paused. The guilty feeling she felt when Desma died came back. It opened the wound in her heart created by the reality that she was a part of the cause of her death. "I'm so sorry." As if suddenly losing her energy, she silently went back into the bed, completely ignoring the food.

"But you're right, I was such a fool-" she shook her head to stop Hikaru from interrupting "I am a fool. I don't even know why I am here now…"

"Inca, I don't know if I can convince you to tell me _something_ that could help me understand more the situation Cephiro is in since you're still serving Leodor but…"

"I should hate you because of Desma, but I can't." Inca said and smiled bitterly. "All right. I'll tell you all that I know…"

"Thank you." Hikaru said, relieved that her effort to squeeze some information wasn't wasted and glad to know that Inca who is a friend of Desma doesn't hold a grudge against her.

oOo

_Gastonia_…

"I never thought I could be a Pillar." Princess Aura started. "There were only the two of us. Even though he was so distant, always absorbed inside his own world, he is dear to me."

Finally, Ascot was able to calm Umi from her fury upon learning that she was deceived by the princess. Shse looked like she wanted to kill the princess! Being deceived is one of the things that Umi despises. And the Princess who looked like she was enjoying seeing Umi being emotional and Ascot looking nervous and lost trying to reason with Umi just sat there, sipping from her teacup. She was brave enough to let out a giggle, much to Umi's rage. Thankfully, Umi calmed down after a few minutes, realizing she was already looking like an idiot. However, she was still irritated with the princess. The feeling that she had seen Aureleah before was right! She had those same eyes and smile with Princess Aura. When did she say that she was beautiful? Huh, now she wants to take it back.

"Who?" Umi asked. She felt she knew who Aura is referring to…

"My brother." She said and Umi was relieved. "Until the day that another Pillar is chosen. I knew my brother wanted to be the one chosen by the crown, and I, on the other hand wasn't as concern. I just go with the flow. I was shallow and easily pleased. And I had told him before that I will not take the responsibility of the Pillar because I wasn't responsible enough. I also believe that Leodor would be more fit for it…"

"But you were the chosen the Pillar, right?" Ascot said. To this, Princess Aura nodded and said, "I was even confused. Why me?"

"Figures why." Umi snorted. The other two looked at her. "The crown has a mind of its own. Why would it choose someone like Leodor? If I was there, and it was Leodor who was chosen, I'll better hang myself than accept him as-" Umi stopped abruptly when she realized what she just said. She looked at Ascot who didn't know what to say, then looked at Aura apologetically. "My bad."

"_Umi… please keep calm. The princess might be pissed and might kick us out of here…"_ Ascot wanted to say but…

"Umi, he wasn't that bad at all if you get to know him. Besides, I understand him. We have an agreement. I promised I won't be the Pillar. And I don't want to be the Pillar."

"But here you are, taking your duty as a Pillar faithfully for a hundred-and-who-knows until-when years." She said, this time sarcastic. Ascot warned her but it's already too late.

"Nobody else was recognized by the crown…" Princess Aura sadly, ignoring Umi's remarks. "And besides the only reason for me to back out was gone…"

Umi knew what she meant. It was Clef. For some reason, Umi felt unwell that she had the urge to get out of there. What's the point of hearing their story? For Pete's sake, she was there for other more _important_ reason! Or is it, really?

"_God! I'm only fooling myself! I know that half of me is curious to see the Princess…Clef's love!"_ Umi admitted guiltily. She clenched her fist firmly as if to gather her frustration and guilt there… and then what?

"Are you okay?" she heard Princess Aura asked, worry in her voice and she didn't answer. Or to put it right, she couldn't. She couldn't hide her emotions now and she is afraid to look her in the eyes. Princess Aura might see something she shouldn't see. Pain. Anger – which is more directed to her self… and _Clef_. She might see _him_ in _her _eyes.

Ascot then excused himself and went to Umi's side. "Excuse us for suddenly breaking this conversation. If you would be kind enough to lend a room where Umi can rest, we would appreciate it. It seems that many things have happened, even at Cephiro and now it's taking its toll on her now…"

"That won't be a problem. I may be saying this too late, but visitors like you are welcome here in the palace." She said. Princess Aura smiled at them and left her seat. "I will call Master Clew to assist you."

oOo

"Are you okay now?" Ascot asked after helping Umi lying comfortably on the bed. He was looking at her intently that Umi became uncomfortable.

"I am fine. Like what you said, I just need rest."

"That's not what I meant… I'm asking what you feel now that you've seen her. Do you feel good now?" Ascot asked. From the sound of his voice, he seemed upset of something.

"What are you saying now? I-I want to rest…" Umi said. She changed her position in the bed; she turned on her right side, her back facing Ascot.

Ascot sighed. He felt helpless. He felt pity to himself._ "I knew it, Umi. I had the feeling that you only wanted to see your love rival. You are still in love with Clef and I know it will only hurt me more but I can't let you leave Cephiro alone to see Princess Aura…"_ When will he ever be noticed by the woman he loves? Will he remain looking at her from a distance? "I may look like clueless, but you can't hide it from me, Umi."

Ascot tried to touch Umi's hair, planning to caress it but as if sensing it, Umi moved. Ascot stopped before he could touch her and just clenched his hands to himself. "I knew you just wanted to see her… I tried to stop you because I know you will just get hurt. I hope that you didn't forget you asked me to help you. Umi, I promised to teach you to love me and make you forget Master Clef. Until now, it was still in my mind and I still want to keep that promise. " Ascot's face became hard trying his best to keep his emotions at bay. "I love you, Umi and I would never hurt you…"

"Ascot, please…"

"I just want to clear those things to you, Umi. And hear this; I have no plan of giving you up. But all of my efforts would be useless if you are not willing to do it yourself." That was the last words he said before silence surrounded the room.

"…I don't know what to do about these feelings myself. I am trying my best, Ascot. I'm so sorry that I'm the reason you are hurt." Umi said and turned around to face Ascot but he was already gone. He left her and he didn't even tell her… or maybe, she was already numb that she didn't notice he already left…

"Oh, Ascot…" Umi buried her head on the pillow and cried all her heart out. But she had done that before and it was useless. If only her pain could go away too by crying…

If only her feelings for Clef could be washed away by just crying in the pillow…

Meanwhile outside the room, Ascot stood still. He was still swallowed by his emotions. All those pain and tears he was trying to hide from Umi seemed eager to be free now. He didn't know that tears were already coming out from his eyes.

"Hey!" it was Geo. Before Ascot could ask what he was doing there, he throws something towards him. Ascot seized it just before it could hit him. "Come on, Zasu is already fuming mad waiting in our room." He said before turning his back to him and walked ahead of him.

Ascot looked at the bottle on his hand and then to Geo. "I went to the NSX and got that and saw you on my way back." Geo said, still walking, as though he had read his mind.

Ascot held the bottle in his hand and followed Geo after giving a last look at Umi's room.

"That room won't run away, Ascot!" Geo called. _"Good job, kiddo."_

oOo end of chapter oOo

* * *

+++ I just thought that Ascot has to be serious now if he wants to have the woman he loves. And to do that, he has to stand up as a man. He needs to clear to Umi that it's time for her to notice him too. I hope Umi, will be kind enough to give him a chance… There's still more to go…

+++I just want to thank the following persons who have appreciated my fanfic: Xepher06 & for the comments (thank You!), zRISC,_ James Birdsong_, Man! & LuvOOOdooo, Taeniaea, twilight dawn (I once read a magic knight rayearth fanfic with the same title as your name ...hmmm, i wonder...), CagalliYulaAthaZala(i've read all your fanfic! And of course, Lantis and Hikaru story is my favorite! i visited your profile nd found you're also fromthe Philippines! Yipee! ) , OhGodNo (You were the first to comment! and though I promised to fix all the wrong spellings grammars etc, I was still unable to do it!)


	19. Presence

**Chapter Nineteen**

Presence

Ascot closed the door to Umi's room silently to avoid waking her up. He was relieve she was still soundly asleep since it only mean she could get enough rest which her body needs.

"So much like Cephiro." Ascot said to himself as his attention turned to the scenery outside the window. It was green, and the sky is full of glittering stars like jewels. Those stars could have been enough reason for Ascot to sleep, but he couldn't. Even in Gastonia, sleepless nights follow him. There were too many things he couldn't help but think of and happenings he couldn't help frowning and worrying. Right now, it was that incident where he was unable to holdback his feelings any longer to Umi. What kind of malevolent spirit has taken him? He couldn't believe he did that – even though he got a lot of praise from his other two companions –Geo and Zasu. _Good job, kiddo!_ was what Geo told him and he could even remember Zasu beaming at him when Geo told him a short recap of what happened between him and Umi inside the room – ignoring his attempts to stop him. Really, do they have to talk about it all through out their drinking session or rather Geo and Zasu's drinking session since he was polite enough to refuse joining and just watched them instead?

However, deep inside him, he was relieved. He felt lighter and somehow, he could smile now. If only he knew earlier that confronting his own feelings and declaring his intentions to Umi could make him feel better…

"_So, then how did you comfort her? Did you hug her? Wait! Don't tell me you kissed her since you promised to make her fall for you?" _He remembered Zasu, drunk and already beaten, asked with an almost empty bottle in his right hand. Zasu grinned at him when he saw him blush and speechless. _"Yeah, good job!"_ he added, nodding repetitiously. _"A kiss would do."_

Ascot sighed as he remembers himself, embarrassed and his face blushing, rushed out of the room without saying anything to them. "How could they think I'd have the guts to do that to Umi?" Ascot inquired to no one as he continued strolling down the bright-lighted, long hallway. He was not sure to what particular place he'd go until he saw a door. It was just a small door. Even though he was not the type to just intrude to someone else's room, he was curious and tired from walking… so it wouldn't hurt if he would wander inside the palace, would it? And so, cautiously, he approached the door. He felt no hint of any magic attached to the room.

Ascot knew, from the numerous tall, old shelves inside the room which is actually big inside, that it is a library. Thinking that it safe to enter since there's no barrier in it just like the one they had in Cephiro, all doubts he had flew away. He stared in awe at the magnificent view inside the room – the books. Big, small, thick, thin books in all kinds of colors, and the smell… oh! He could smell the scent the books gave off – a result of who-knows how-many years of staying there, clamped in the shelves and waiting for a pair of hands to get them and make use of them. It smelled so familiar and it smelled more of something – informations about anything – _"History!"_ Ascot almost jumped in delight when his eyes saw another door. The door to the part of the library that is restricted to be entered!

He quickly walked towards the door. It was one another sleepless night and yet it turns out to be a night when his luck is high.

oOo

Princess Aura heaved a sigh as she turned around, expecting to see Umi, already clothed in her usual clothes.

"What brought you here in my room at this hour of the night? You should be resting right now." Princess Aura said, frowning.

"I need to talk to you."

Princess Aura obviously didn't find the words promising. "Can't it wait until tomorrow?"

"No. We're chasing time here. Cephiro could be in a much deeper trouble right now." Umi said. She was serious. There was no time now for her to spend her time dilly-dallying. Thanks to Ascot, she felt more energized now.

"I told you, there's no way I could help… My brother, although I told you that he is not as bad as you think he is, is still a very stubborn person. Being able to go against our parents' wishes, turning this land in turmoil, going to Cephiro after gathering enough energy to steal _Everesta_ are only examples of what he can do. Through all of that, I was unable to stop him and I wasn't able to read his moves…" Princess Aura said trying to let Umi see that there is nothing she can do.

It was Umi's chance to frown when she suddenly chucked a loud gasp. "Come again? _After gathering enough energy?_ Leodor did that? Please enlighten me, Princess Aura. You just said something peculiar." Umi asked. Something got her interested. And she looked apprehensive, enough to make Aura interested.

"Yes. From the people… In Cephiro, the will controls everything, right? It's the same with us. He was able to gather enough energy from the people's will, I was sure of that…" Princess Aura answered, confused at why something like that would interest her.

"Does _everyone_ know about it?" Umi asked. "Was your brother well-informed about it… was he that strong? 'Coz, you see, gathering people's willpower is not a simple task, and I suppose you know that. The person himself must be powerful enough to do that – to store all the energy within him…"

Princess Aura's mouth opened, and then closed it again. She was confused for a bit. "Now that you've said that… It's not in my nature to speak ill about anyone but as far as

I can remember, although Leodor was so strong, I never felt him becoming stronger after gathering enough energy… He was still the same. There was no change in him but I could still remember a more powerful presence surrounding Gastonia at that time… it only left when Leodor too, was gone."

"A powerful presence?" Umi asked. "Who was that? Do you know?"

"No. We never saw it. But I was so sure it was powerful." Princess Aura said with a grim look on her face. "My brother… one time I got to talk to him, he was very different. He was not himself… He looked daze." Princess Aura said as she reviewed their last encounter in her mind. Leodor was more distant and cold. He was quieter than usual. She even reached the point where she asked herself if the man in front of her is really her brother. Because, even he possesses the face and body of his brother – even the color of his hair which was slightly longer than when he was still _her_ _brother_, and his voice – Princess Aura didn't feel he was her brother at all… Leodor didn't look at her the same anymore – no more fondness and kindness in his eyes – his eyes were simply looking at her without any emotions. Empty. Almost trance-like. "Umi, that's all I know. And I am not sure anymore about that presence anymore, since it left just after Leodor left." Princess Aura looked apologetic enough that Umi decided to rest her case.

Looking now at the Princess, Umi could see the sad princess she saw before, her emotions displayed blatantly in her face, unguarded. Umi looked away when Princess Aura caught her staring. "If there's really no way for you to help us, then it's best we go back to Cephiro now." Umi said, tying her best not to show any trace of disappointment. She bowed her head as a sign of respect to the princess, although she isn't sure it's their way of showing respect. "Thank you for everything you've done for us. Rest assured we won't bother you anymore."

"You're welcome. I am very sorry I couldn't give much help. Please tell Clef-" Princess Aura stopped when she realize what she was about to say. "That's all. I have to rest now…" with a heavy heart reflected on her face, she subtly dismissed Umi.

Looking at the retreating figure of the Magic Knight, a tear fell from her eyes. "I knew it…" she said as she brushed that one tear which managed to escape from her carefully protected heart…

oOo

_Cephiro_

Ferio walked looked distracted as he walked to Fuu's room. It was after he talked to Master Clef about the things that are worrying Fuu. The talk he had with Clef ended negatively, as he himself wasn't sure as to what really is happening to _his_ Wind Knight.

"Fuu!" he called when he heard Fuu's scream from inside her room. Her voice sounded like she was in pain and was saying something incoherently. Her screams stopped as soon as Ferio walked inside the room. And what he saw was something that will hunt him forever _if_ he doesn't do something about it _now_.

Fuu was sweating heavily when the hands that seemed gripping her whole body were gone. She felt it first on her legs, caressing her there; by then, she was fully awake. She tried to move to see what it is but she couldn't. Another hand held her head on the bed, disabling her to see it. Another realization came to her as she felt the hands stayed on her skin, _"Ferio! Help me!" _she cried when she felt it burning her skin and it was so painful. She closed her eyes, trying to think what to do. She could use her magic, but how? She was still weak. It's been days since she collapsed in the forest near Viscon and Master Clef has been doing his best to cure her so she should be recovering now, but no! She was getting weaker, and she knows that Clef and Ferio had been hiding it from her… why? She couldn't understand, what was wrong with her body?

Seconds, and then minutes had passed and it was still all there. Her eyes widened in horror when a black smoke moved above her. She wanted so much wanted to drive it away… she was hopeless… She could only watch as the smoke accumulated in front of her face. Her mouth involuntarily opened and the smoke, _she could feel it,_ slowly entered her mouth…

"_No, no, no, no! This can't be happening! Whatever it is, I know it will only hurt me!"_ Fuu thought as she felt herself gasped for her and inhaling the black smoke instead. _"Oh, God! Someone…Ferio!"_ the smoke finally entered her – or maybe that was she thought before it suddenly vanished. And she doesn't know how… She was relieved, and, at the same time wobbly weak… Her vision is already blurring as a familiar figure appeared on the door – Ferio.

"Ferio…" she called but she wasn't sure if she really did it or it was only in her mind. All she knew is she needs to be with him. She knew she was weak but she knew too that _he_ is _her_ _strength_. Her hands tried to reach for him… she tried to move slowly out of the bed – she need to get near him and everything will be gone…

Ferio moved as fast as he could beside Fuu before she passed out. He couldn't figure out what happened to her, why she looked like the way she looked when he entered the room – horror was on her face. She looked very tired, full of sweat and so pale. One thing he knew is that it is not something that should be taken for granted.

Ferio sat on the bed and stopped Fuu from further movement, telling her that everything's all right now. He looked at his beloved who is now recovering her breath. He extended one hand to brush off hairs that fell in disarray in her ashen face. Her eyes opened as she reached to that same hand tightly and looked up at him. "Something happened…" she said.

Ferio stooped down to plant a feather-like kiss on her forehead. "Talk later, Fuu. Just lay there and…rest. I'll wait for you to become stable before I go to fetch Master Clef here." Ferio said calmly although deep in him, he wanted to cry in desperation and frustration. Why can't he do anything better to be of any help other than giving assurances and hugs and kisses to Fuu? _"Why do I have to leave Fuu here alone just to call Master Clef?"_ Ferio asked himself, feeling helpless, knowing his power (if he has) is limited and can't even summon any magical spell.

"Ferio… I feel something's not right with me… A hand…was gripping me." She said weakly, her eyes showing fear. "And smoke, it was black and it wanted to enter me…" a sob followed after that. Ferio could only look at her with eyes almost shedding tears. "I feel so weak, Ferio…"

"Oh, Fuu! I- I don't know what to tell you… I better call Master Clef now…" he said, as he forced himself to stand and away from her and Ferio thought how painful it was. It was the first time he felt that: the feeling of not leaving her, dreading that something may take her from him. "Wait here…" Ferio walked towards the door almost like a zombie.

The door opened just before he could command it to open and revealed the peewee master mage in his white and lavender colored, flowing robes and his magical staff in his right hand. "I felt something wrong in this room…" he said with a gloomy aura.

Ferio didn't say anything as he watched Master Clef walked past him and went straight to Fuu's bed. He watched as Master Clef looked down at her. Fuu was quiet as a mole and only waiting for him to do what he has to do. Finally, Master Clef decided to use his power as his magical staff shone a bright light and directed at Fuu. Fuu closed her eyes then, a few seconds later, her face and breathing came back to normal.

He sighed as he looked at Ferio. "I still can't figure it out. All I know is something is making her weak…" he said. "But I felt someone else's aura here… was anyone else is here with you before I arrived?"

"Zilch. No one. Fuu was alone when I arrived. But she was saying incoherent words I heard when I was nearing the room. When I went near her, she said something like… a hand gripping her – no, err…a black smoke entering her…" Ferio looked unsure at Clef. "Must be one of those horrible dreams that never left her since she was found at that forest." He continued and walked nearer the bed mumbling something like _"he shouldn't have let her go… or he should have gone with her"_.

Master Clef left the room after giving another look at Ferio who was now sitting on the edge of the bed, placing the blanket on her properly. _"At least he looked normal now than what he looked like when I arrived."_ The mage thought at how odd it is for him to feel that aura and yet not able to know who or what it is. It was faint, and, was _like a single breath hanging on thin air and gone after a few seconds_. He made a mental note to ask Fuu about those dreams she's having and probably be able to make a conclusion on her present condition. A Magic Knight, a will and a heart that's strong and is suddenly weakening is something very questionable. "And how long will this ill-fated air hangs around this castle… and why all this is happening _now_ especially to these girls…" Master Clef said, referring to the Magic Knights and the situation they're in.

Is it another repetition of previous war?

Will the Magic Knights, be willing to raise their swords and call their _rune gods_ again to fight at their lives' expense and for the sake of Cephiro again?

Will they get their hearts broken, again?

Master Clef left the room, knowing that answers were too vague for him to construe.

* * *

+++ After, _yeah,_ _for what seemed to be_ _hundred years_ of thinking, I finally made up my decision. Thanks to "none of your business'" support – who made me make a decision at last _-_ I woke up at last. I NEED THE AID OF A BETA-READER AND I SHOULD HAVE DONE IT _EARLIER_!

+++ CALLING! For anyone willing to beta-read this (since I always makes mistake always unsighted) I've already requested for two beta-readers and I haven't received their reply yet (and I'm still waiting!)… so if there's anyone willing out there, just give me a click (e-mail) (grins)….I believe I have my e-mail displayed on my profile… or send it to me here, straight in fanfiction inbox…it's your choice….

+++ I would always love to hear from you; guys… say anything that's in your mind about this story… I always get ecstatic everytime there's a message etc… I'm so bored in life, you see.


	20. An Old Book

**Author's Note: **I deeply apologize for my temporary absence. I have not updated for a very long time. For a while, I was in doubt if I could finish this fanfic since there are many things going on in my life... in my school life. You know how it's hard being a student. But I also love this fanfic and these anime that I don't want to disappoint myself by not finishing it. Thank you for your continued support and reading on this fanfiction story, "Forever".

**Chapter Twenty**

An Old Book

_NSX Battleship_

_Umi continued to have a clenched fist even after they left Gastonia's ground._ That was what Ascot noticed. But there was nothing he could do about it. The princess listened to their story but to their plea, she didn't. And for Umi who have strived hard to head off for Gastonia– leaving Cephiro in the midst of turmoil and Hikaru still in the hands of the enemy – it is not an outcome to be accepted lightly.

"Ha! At last, we're far from them! We'll really be in big trouble if we didn't get off." Geo said. There was relief on his face as he leaned comfortably on his seat. He removed his gaze from the pool of people on the ground not far from the castle and looked at Umi and Ascot. "How did you know we had to leave immediately?"

"Princess Aura informed me about it. The fraction of people that were against her reign and sided with Leodor have learned about our arrival and quickly made their way towards the palace." Umi answered, but her eyes never wavered as it continued to watch the Gastonians who are now gathered at one place. It seemed that they already realized that their target is now gone and far from their reach. Had they left a little late, there would be superfluous blood that will flood from the fight that would take place between them and the people of Gastonia under Leodor.

"Geez! Why can't they just believe the Princess and start living a more peaceful life?" the brawny commander said as he resumed his job.

"Umi…" Ascot tried to get the magic knight's attention. He succeeded.

"Ascot, I have to ask you a question. I want you to answer me truthfully." She said.

"_What could it be?" _Ascot thought. He looked at her carefully, trying to read her mind. But her expression wad devoid of any emotion. And then something hit him. The scene where Master Clew was asking him about "something" but he wasn't able to answer it since the door to enter the NSX closed between them. There was a loud thump on his chest as he met Umi's eyes. _"There is something with you that you shouldn't have."_ Master Clew's words suddenly kept ringing in his head.

"I assume you already know what I'll ask?" she said, suddenly flashing him with her saccharine smile. And he _lost. _And he lost _it_. She won in a battle that didn't even take place.

With a slump shoulders, he followed her outside. And he can't proudly say that he's ready for any interrogation. He could only pray that she wouldn't give him a hard time.

oOo

Umi seemed larger and taller in his eyes as she stood there, looking at him with those slit-eyed eyes of her. Ascot looked suspiciously at her. "I know what you're going to ask me, Umi." He said, finally after gathering his courage. "Please don't burst your anger yet… Let me speak first. Or rather let me show you what I got." He continued with a hint of plea in his voice.

Umi looked calm when Ascot finally revealed what he had been hiding inside his thick, long garment. An _old_ _book_. "What is _that_?" she asked as curiosity got the best of her.

"I found it on one of the books inside their library-"

"And stole it."

"Yes, but-"Ascot stopped when he realized what he just said. "Umi… I didn't have a choice. I found the book interesting."

"Interesting? Huh?" Umi snapped. "And you just decided to take that book because of that." She added caustically.

"No! You see, this book's not just interesting!" Said Ascot, ignoring being bitten by her words.

"Kindly, Ascot, stop this roundabout conversation! Tell me what's in that book!"

"This is not just an ordinary book, Umi. See this one?" Ascot said, after releasing his tension. He showed Umi the front cover of the book. "This is the old symbol of the earliest era of Cephiro! The Twin Crown!"

"I – I don't understand, Ascot." Umi asked as she herself felt uncomfortable. She felt fidgety and something is starting to dawn to her, but she still doesn't know what it is. But something was wrong… And she wanted so much to clear the fog so she could see clearly.

"Princess Emeraude was the only Pillar who has the shortest reign, that's according to Cephiro's history. Her predecessor, Princess Magdalinnea, has the longest. She reigned for about twenty centuries before Princess Emeraude was born. It was from her that the Cephiro's emblem was changed."

"So, every Pillar can change what will become Cephiro's symbol?" Umi queried.

"She has the power. Even changing the name of the country. But Princess Emeraude did not bother doing it. She used the same symbol that the earlier Pillar revolutionized. The _Winged Sun_… "

"But why is that symbol, Twin Crown, in that book? Why is that book _in_ Gastonia?"

Ascot shrugged. He looked clueless as well. "I do not know. It is the reason why I took it. Maybe, Master Clef can help us." He answered. "But there are still more things we can expect from this book. Like the origin of the Magic Knights or… the link between Cephiro and Gastonia. After all, Gastonia's where we found this book. And the two countries have many similarities…"

"Link…maybe…" Umi looked confuse for a while. She's not even listening to Ascot anymore. Then suddenly, she remembered something. _"In answer to Princess Ziarah's wish… Princess Zipporah decided to leave!_"

***

(Umi's recollection)

"_Can you at least tell me what you will call the new planet?" Ziarah asked her sister, oblivious of the event happening to the magic knights. The magic knights stopped fussing and listened intently to what Zipporah will say._

"_I've thought of it just last night and decided. I hope you would like the name and please visit us whenever it is possible, you're welcome there." Zipporah smiled. "It's…"_

_As she uttered the words, the magic knights were enveloped by a bright light which rocketed towards the sky. The two princesses didn't even notice them gone…_

_***_

"_Gastonia!"_

"Ascot, we have to hurry back to Cephiro! This expedition is not a waste!" She said excitedly to the flabbergasted Palu. He could only nod obediently, asking himself silently what suddenly changed Umi's mood.

oOo

_Cephiro_

The final judgment lies to the heart of the last Pillar.

Judgment lies on thine heart's pureness.

Those who decided to left must never come back again.

Otherwise, destruction of the land will arise.

The following passages from the book, The Secret Chronicle of Cephiro, look as if it has been fixed into Master Clef's mind. Even as he sleeps, he dreams of it. He often wondered what the book meant. What

Racius meant.

Along with it came questions and possible explanations. Based from the book, and what the Magic Knights' detailed elaboration of their adventure, the book is authentic. And it really tells about the past of Cephiro… a secret one. A different past. So much different from what they have been thought. The past of Cephiro, has nothing special in it. The seclusion of the Pillar has been mandated by the Creator. Even the existence of the Magic Knights, despite it's similarity of that of Gastonias, is made by the Creator. The Creator whom he have never seen his all life.

"_What is it? Why can't I solve this?"_ Master Clef repeatedly asked himself but he can't come up with any answer. Only wild guesses.

_Who is Master Racius? A former mage of Cephiro?_

_What was the name of Princess Zipporah's country?_

_Is there any relationship between Cephiro and Gastonia?_

"And the _final judgment… _what is it all about? Who are those people who must not come back? Who is the last Pillar?" Master Clef said out loud. Questions. Questions. It all confuses him. Somewhere, someone… there must be an answer.

"_Why did this old book appear at this time?"_

oOo

It was not easy to formulate a plan. Especially, if that is to infiltrate an unseen vessel surrounded by who-knows-how-many number of dumb Gastonian soldiers whose strongest way of fighting is by attacking with their head covered with a crooked helmet, guarding. But if it is to save an unarmed Magic Knight, and the present Pillar at that, they have to do their best. And as the time ticks by, the opportunity to help Hikaru diminishes. That was the situation that Lantis, Lafarga and Kruz was in until one of their soldiers scouting near the place found a crumpled paper. An unusual thing to find in that place.

"It's a signal." Kruz declared after studying the paper that was laid plain on the table. Lafarga nodded.

"But we aren't sure yet if is really from her. How can she do something like this? She is imprisoned." Lafarga followed after that nod.

Lantis walked nearer the table and touched the paper. Kruz and Lafarga watched as Lantis' hand felt the entire paper and as his hands gave off a little amount of energy.

"What did you see?" Lafarga asked.

"None. But I felt Hikaru's energy attached to the paper… and also someone else." He answered.

"Who?"

"I don't know… but it was a gentle yet sad aura."

All three of them fell into deep thinking.

"We should follow this paper. It is better than not having any guide at all… But we have to be really careful." Kruz suggested after a while.

Lafarga spared a few seconds before answering while his eyes still roams all four corners of the paper. He could see the lines and symbols… a map. A big star was written on a particular area. The place where Hikaru is held. "What do you think, Lantis?" he asked, finally.

"I'll do anything to enter that place. At this point, all I can follow is my instinct. And it tells me to trust whoever sent this map." Lantis answered directly.

"I agree. We should get ready now." Lafarga said to the two men. "This will be a long night. We must not wait 'til it's too late."

oOo

_Everesta_

"_I've been waiting too long." _The voice escalated around the room. It was the voice of a middle-aged woman. Strong and full yet shrill and harsh. Gaudy yet vulgar and piercing. Leodor, despite its unpleasantness, stood in front of the circle.

"Everything is according to your plan. Just a little wait…" he answered.

"And the magic knight?" the owner of the voice asked again.

"Confined inside a room. She is well guarded."

The demonic mistress gave out a beastly laugh. "I am going to show them a darkness they've never seen before." She stated with vileness in her voice. "Those damn, insolent little creatures who think they can defeat me forever!"

"And you!" she said, surrounding the dark prince with a black smoke. "You will receive a bountiful reward. They have not yet realized the result of their decisions. That little spitfire who was the cause of my fall…little does she know how everything in Cephiro has been changed! A little mistake… and destruction will engulf them all!"

"I believe in you. I will be with you until the end…" Leodor said, all the while enchanted by the owner's voice and all that reward she had promised.

"I will punish them… the loss of one of their comrades will only be the first!" the demonic mistress said acidly. And with confidence, she knows she can do it.

+++to be continued+++

* * *

**Winged Sun symbol** --- I am not sure if they still have it, but you can find it at: http: / / d r e a m a n g e l z . t r i p o d . c o m / r a y e a r t h . h t m.. The yellow circle, with wings and smaller blue circle behind Hikaru and the two magic Knights is the symbol. I hope, I don't get any complain for using that picture.

**Twin Crown** --- you can freely think of any crown. It's your choice, whatever it will look like. The Twin Crown is the symbol used by the twin princesses from the past of Cephiro…

**Umi's Recollection ----** Chapter Eleven of this fanfic, Love Has Flown Away.

**The Secret Chronicle of Cephiro, and the passages from it --- **Chapter Eight, The Secret Chronicle of Cephiro.


	21. A Lady's Ordeal

_Strife is better than loneliness._

**

* * *

**

**Chapter Twenty One**

A Lady's Ordeal

Aura stood at the center of her prayer room. She was just done doing her job and Master Clew was standing not very far from her, probably trying to read what's on her mind. What the magic knight told her won't let her at peace.

"Master Clew, I didn't make a mistake, did I?" she finally spoke. Her sweet voice rang all over the moonlit dark room.

"Princess.." Master Clew was at loss of words. What was he supposed to tell her? But the Princess was waiting for an answer. A look of anticipation was written on her face. "As long as it is what your heart desires… you're at the right path." He said the safest answer he can think of.

The anticipation on Aura's face faded and was replaced by sadness. She looked away from Master Clew to hide it though she knows it's too late. _"What my heart wants…"_

oOo

Umi burst into tears as her eyes finished studying Fuu's appearance who met her with Ferio at the palace' entry. Ferio was standing beside her, inclining her to his torso to support her unsteady body.

"What happened to you?!" she asked without troubling herself with hiding her horrification. She saw the hurt in her friend's eyes and realized what she had just done. "I'm sorry… But Fuu, you're messed up! Are you sick?" she asked after giving her friend a hug. "You don't look like this the last time I saw you…"

Fuu smiled sadly. "Many things happened. Master Clef was having a hard time looking for the answer. I didn't want to let you or Hikaru see me in this condition when you arrive but…" she bowed her head, hiding the tears starting to show at the rim of her eyes. She felt Ferio squeezed her arms and she looked up only to see the worry in his handsome feature.

Umi sighed. "You could have waited for me to go to your room, dumb girl!" She said, resuming her usual bitchy attitude. " And Ferio shouldn't have let you out of bed knowing your condition." She said after glaring at the man standing at Fuu's side.

"I couldn't stop her." Umi's brows creased at his answer. She remembered that Fuu's too weak to resist him. He can lock her at her room if he wanted but Umi decided not to state her point. "She wanted to greet you herself."

Ferio gave Fuu a quick look and saw a tinge of sweat on her forehead. 'Why don't we get inside already? Master Clef's waiting at his study. He is expecting your report. But first, let me take Fuu on her room. She's starting to tremble." He gave Fuu a hard look to stop her from any resistance.

"Fuu, please… I promise to tell you the details of the meeting. I'll visit you as soon as it's finished." Umi intervened to end the tension that's starting to settle between the lover's stare-fight. "I'll go first, Ferio. Fuu…"

Ferio followed Umi's retreating figure followed by Ascot's.

"You heard her." He said, turning his head to look at Fuu's eyes. Fuu refused to look at him, showing her silent resentment of him. What can she do? She's too weak to free herself from Ferio's arms.

"What?" she asked impulsively when she heard him chuckle.

"Nothing." _It's just that you're cute when you're acting childish._ But Ferio didn't dare say it, knowing that _matured_ Fuu won't like it. Without warning, his one arm settled at her back while the other one at her hips. Fuu gasped when she felt herself being elevated from the ground.

"Put me down, Ferio. I can get to my room with my feet."

"Time to rest, tough girl." Ferio said with a wide grin on his face. He totally ignored Fuu's demands. The wide grin was replaced with a tender smile when he looked at her and started to walked to the path towards her room. Fuu was silenced by this. She felt herself blushed and tried to close her eyes. She was also aware that her body remained stiff. She just couldn't relax knowing that she's on Ferio's arms and more definitely not when she could hear her heart hammering on her chest.

"You know, it would be better if you could relax a bit." His other arm urged her to rest her head on his chest.

"Right." She closed her eyes and was trying to suppress a smile on her lips. _"Sweet Ferio."_ She wanted to say it but she knows that Ferio will not like it. He's too stubborn to admit it.

oOo

"They'll be coming."

Hikaru raised her gaze to Inca as the tray she's holding was placed on the table. She was telling her something. What was it? A knot was formed on her forehead as she tried to remember it.

"Are you alright?" Inca asked. Her face looked placid but there was a trace of concern on her voice.

"Yes. It was just my head spinning. I was unable to peacefully sleep last night. Scary dreams visited me." Hikaru answered. One hand pressed on the space between her eyes.

"Wait, I'll tell Leodor about this. He told me to inform him if you're not feeling well…"

"No." Hikaru held her back. "I am all right…really." _That man was the monster in my dreams. I have seen enough of him. _"What were you saying a while ago? I didn't catch it." She asked instead to divert her attention to another subject.

"They got the map. Maybe, they're on their way." She whispered to avoid anyone from hearing, if there's one.

"_I hope Lantis and the others finds this place. That's the only way for me to escape. And please stay safe, Lantis… I don't want you to get hurt because of me."_

She was distracted from her thoughts when the door to her room opened. Leodor's tall frame came into her view. Inca quietly walked away from her table. "You're here." Hikaru said. She knows that he would visit her again. "What ridiculous ideas have you conjured up this time that you have visited me again?" she asked sarcastically.

"Nothing. I just forgot to tell you one thing before I dismissed our conversation last time." He said after settling himself into the chair in front of Hikaru. "We have to start the preparations for the ceremony of our nuptial soon. There are rituals that the couple has to do before the wedding."

Hikaru automatically let go of the eating utensils she was holding. "What another absurd idea you're saying again? I told you that there will be no wedding between us! My friends will help me to get out of here!"

"I know. That's why it must be done _soon_. I know that they'll have ways to penetrate this ship. Before that time comes, you'll have to be my wife." He said before leaving her in a frenzied state. She was back into herself again when she saw two other women holding both her hands. They were making her stand.

"Where are you taking me?!" she asked as she was being forcefully ushered out of the room. "Inca!"

"I think the preparations are starting now… Hikaru, don't worry-"Inca's voice was shut out when her room's door closed.

"Oh God… I can't believe this. Someone, help me!"

oOo

"Umi, you're all right!" Presia happily greeted Umi as soon as she entered the room. She answered it with a smile. "The journey was tiring and long but it was okay."

"Umi! Ascot!" Caldina came out of nowhere and enclosed both of them into a tight embrace.

"Caldina!" the two squealed and tried to get free of her tight embrace. "Okay. Okay. We missed you too, Caldina. We really- really…ugh…missed you. Just stop hugging us!" Umi said. Finally Caldina got satisfied and freed them. She laughed after seeing their almost purple faces.

"Caldina, you could have killed them with just your embrace! I really admire that skill of yours!" Presea said who was also laughing.

"I miss'd 'ya, two! This place' like a cemetery without 'ya ol! Hikaru's not here and Fuu's in a bad shape. I'm so glad to see ya!"

Umi smiled. She turned to the Master Mage's seat and saw Clef there, all along watching their chit-chat. "It's nice to see you again, Master Clef. " She gave another smile but this time, almost exaggerated. Everyone in the room got quiet and looked at them two. They felt the tension in the air. Presea looked down and draw in air before looking up again.

"Even Master Clef undoubtedly missed you, Umi. He was worried for your welfare." Presea said which made Umi blush.

"O, you're there! We didn't see you! Anyway, for a teensy weensy of a stud like you, it's natural!" Caldina's voice broke the silence.

"Caldina!" Presea and Ascot both scolded. "That was uncalled for. Master Clef, please don't mind what she said." Presea continued.

"That was okay. Umi, Ascot, It's nice to see you back again. I am glad you weren't in any danger while on your journey."

"It's same with us."

"How was your visit to Gastonia?" Clef asked. Umi became silent. Ascot didn't answer either.

"What is the Princess' response? Will she help us?" Caldina eagerly asked.

'We apologize…" Ascot said regretfully.

"What do you mean?"

"The flight was a… unproductive one. She refused." Umi answered. Master Clef sighed.

"That was expected. Gastonia is a very private country. They don't want involvement in any wars." Master Clef assured. Caldina and Presea remained silent. There was no need to further ask about the journey at the moment. A few minutes have passed before they tackled about many things, especially what happened in Cephiro while and Umi and Ascot is gone.

'So, Lantis, Lafarga and this "Kruz" guy were now making a plan to get inside the ship and rescue Hikaru?" Umi asked. "Where are they? I want to see the progress in their preparation."

"They're at Lafarga's office. "Caldina said. "Wanna go there now?"

Umi breathed in before answering. "Later. I want to have a private talk with Master Clef." All three understood and quietly left the room.

Another defeaning silence took place when the two of them were left inside the room.. It was so quiet that Umi could imagine her heart "jumping" out of her body, settling at the space between her and Clef and beating loud and fast, as if mocking her.

"What was it that you have to tell me?" Master Clef asked first.

Umi opened her small knapsack and revealed something. A small circular box.

"Princess Aura wanted to give you this." She gave him the box. She was curious what was inside the box but was hesitant to ask Clef so she remained quiet.

"Is this all?" he asked after giving it a quick look. Umi shook her head and took another from her bag. It was the old book that Ascot stole from the library of Gastonia. With it, she finally caught Clef's attention. His eyes never wavered from the book, even after he held it.

"There are many interesting things you'll see in that book. As Master Mage, you'll know once you open it."

"Right…."

Umi left the room without Clef noticing. He was too busy reading the book now. She threw him a quick sad look before disappearing outside the door. _"It's nice to see you back, Umi…" _she remembered Clef said. She sighed. "He doesn't look glad while saying it." Another sigh came from her. "Now I'm thinking whether I should go and visit Fuu on her room now or…" before she knows it, she was walking towards the opposite direction. The direction towards her room…

* * *

Thank You for reading or viewing guys...


	22. Rescue

**Chapter Twenty Two**

**Rescue**

"You noticed a change in their movements?" Prince Leodor asked after hearing Brigida's report on the Cephirian guards closely rounding the seafront day and night, making sure that they won't be able to escape.

"Yes. There were a large number of soldiers at the different key points of the area near the coastline." She answered.

"What do you mean?"

"There were many of them. They're not only staying at the coast. It seems a large number arrived last night and was camping there. I'll try to penetrate the area to investigate. But I have a bad feeling that they're planning to attack us." Brigida answered with a creased forehead.

"In this water? With an invisible target?" Leodor let out a crook smile. "Don't they know we are using a special invisibility spell that won't let anyone or anything touch us even with magic?"

"I don't know, Sire." Brigida shook her head.

"You may take your leave. Get all the information you can get. I want to know what ideas they're formulating." Leodor dismissed her and she disappeared.

oOo

"They will have a change of guard at midnight. It would be the best time for us to find a way how they get in and out of the ship." Lafarga said. "If our intelligence is correct, that they use mirror a medium to get in and out- we should be able to locate where it is."

"Locate where the mirror is?" Umi said making her presence at the camp known. Kruz who was standing nearest to the spot where Umi stood bowed. "You must be Kruz." She said, acknowledging the in-obeisance soldier.

"Yes, I am." He answered.

"So what is it about a mirror they're using a medium and about locating it?" She asked, slightly facing Kruz, giving him the task to answer her query.

"It's a kind of magic that is known and used by Gastonia. With it, they can communicate with anyone through another mirror, or, as we have been saying, as a medium – a door to get in and out of the concealed battleship." Kruz patiently explained.

Umi looked more confused. "But there are many soldiers at different points. How are you going to do it? Follow every one of them?" she asked.

"That kind of magic can be used only by Gastonia's few people. Mostly, they were magicians, and high officials. For those low ranked guards, there must be an only mirror permanently placed somewhere. Where that mirror's location is what we're going to find out." Lafarga continued.

"I understand now. I'd want to help, Lafarga. If there's any way I can, just tell me." Umi said later. "But I don't see Lantis here. Where is he?" she asked when she realized that only Lafarga and Kruz were inside the tent.

"He is supposed to be here. There must be something of importance he had to do. Actually, it was put entirely on his shoulder to find the location of the mirror…" Lafarga answered her.

oOo

She must have thought she was alone there. For there no one around when she went out. It was the time for her to penetrate the area. It is exactly midnight; the Cephirian troop must be tired now, making them less alert.

They're up to something. She feels it will pose a great danger if they don't know what it is they're cooking. They don't have the time to squander or it would be too late. The problem lies on what the enemy is planning. They have to read their movements. Be proactive than reactive. And suffer no losses. Now that their inside spy's gone, the job to do it has became more difficult that even she has to go out once more and do the job herself. The last time she went out was when she captured the Pillar.

Brigida cursed, remembering that it was the Pillar and that Magic Swordsman's fault that they're in disadvantage. That Lantis, as he was called, hindered the tasks Desma had to do. He and that Pillar became a major distraction. But there's no more reason to dwell on the past. What's important is for her to be able to do her job properly.

She didn't waste any more time. She went, as discreetly as possible to the nearest guard post, attacked the only soldier and dragged him inside. "What are you planning to do?" she asked harshly, putting the tip of a pointed object on the half-conscious soldier's throat.

But the man looked at her confusedly that she had to repeat the question again, pushing harder on his throat to make him talk. "Are you planning an attack? Talk or you die!"

He nodded. He moaned a sound of protest when she slowly pierced his throat, watching the blood ooze from the wound. "When?"

"To-tomorrow…" that was the answer she needed before killing him. It was something she had to do or his superiors will know someone was here. She watched as his body turned to ashes and then to _nothing…_ She got out as quietly as she had come. The portal revealed itself the moment she went near it and went in. It was a clean job. No one saw her. Tomorrow, the Cephirians are in for a big surprise. Brigida smiled triumphantly and started to walk to her Master's quarters. Tomorrow, they'll be the victor.

That was what she had thought… She walked away from the door and didn't notice the small line that formed on the door's edges. A few seconds passed, and it was gone.

oOo

Lantis, finally left his hiding place. He still saw the line disappeared from his eyes. He didn't know that _it_ would come to his aid someday. An ordinary magic spell that his master taught him, but he had ignored using. He first felt _her_ while he was on the way to Lafarga's tent. Brainstorming. Then a plan was formed. Preparations. Then acting the first part of the plan… A dangerous plan where they had to get a large troop camping near the hidden vessel. The Autozam government, after Geo talked to them, has also given their support to execute the plan. All of it, to save the Pillar… An important figure in Cephiro… and an important girl in his heart. He knows he will never get acquainted of her calling her a Pillar… Never. For him, it would always be _Hikaru_. It might be a little selfish of him, _but_ she is the main reason he will do anything to get in the ship. Saving his mother planet came second… Another realization that struck a few nights ago…

oOo

"Where am I?" Hikaru shouted for the third time already and still got the same result: no answer. After being dragged out of her room, asked to take a bath for cleansing, she was left by the two servants inside a slightly dim-lighted room. "I just hope it's the last part of the _ritual_ they're talking about! Though it really pisses me off, I can't do anything about it!"

She surveyed her surroundings. Her eyes focused on the thing placed not far in front of her. It is obviously an altar. Hikaru realized she is actually inside their Deity's room, except that she finds the altar empty. There was no statue of anything which could symbolize a deity…

"Pu! Pu! Pu!"

Hikaru wheeled around and saw the owner of the familiar sound. Her face lighted as the little creature bounced toward her. "Mokona!" she exclaimed just as she caught Mokona in her arms.

"Pu! Pu! Pu!" Mokona looked up at her. He was happy at their reunion as well.

"Where have you been? And how did you get here? Did you have a magic that could penetrate this ship without being caught? "She asked nonstop.

"Pu!" Mokona frowned and looked hurt.

Hikaru giggled for the first time since being held captive. "Oh, I missed you too, Mokona. Really, I was very sad when you weren't there to welcome us! Even Fuu and Umi were sad too! "She said and hugged Mokona, much to his delight.

"Pu! Pu!"

"Oh, thank you! Is there a way I can get out of here?" she asked, slightly distancing herself to Mokona.

Mokona's face turned serious. "Pu…"

oOo

"Everyone's ready." Lafarga informed Umi. Both of them were looking towards the sea, where the invisible _Everesta_ stay hidden.

"They won't be able to hide any longer." She said.

"I don't understand why they still stay invisible when it's obvious that they know we already know their location…" Lafarga said.

"They're fools."

"Anyway, Geo's troop is ready and now waiting for our signal as well as our troop. Everesta is now surrounded. There is no way they can escape."

"And I hope Lantis and Kruz gets inside the ship safely…" Umi whispered. "I don't know how to go through this alone. Fuu's condition is getting worse." She said sadly.

Lafarga tapped her shoulder and gave her an understanding smile. "You're a Magic Knight. You've proven your heart's strength many times already. And you are not alone." He said.

Umi looked up at him, but still uncertain whether she should believe him or not. He looked away and fixed his gaze on the ship. "They are fighting as well. We're all in this battle."

"Thank you." Umi simply said. "You know what; I think I know why Caldina really loves you and why she decided to live here." She said in a more relax tone. She almost giggled when Lafarga looked away and blushed.

"Umi!"

"Ascot!" Umi's reaction was suddenly alert. "Why are you here?" she asked despite the uneasiness she could feel because of Ascot's proximity. They haven't talked much after they arrived from the journey.

Lafarga on the other hand left the two of them without words.

"I-I couldn't stop worrying about you. " Ascot answered who was obviously nervous. "But I asked Caldina politely if I can come here! I swear! Even Master Clef consented to it!" he said defensively afterward.

"Then, what can I say. Go and do whatever you do." She conceded. "Your friends can be of great help!"

"Umi… I want to stay here beside you." Ascot said seriously. "I want to protect you."

Umi turned her face away trying to hide her reddened face. "Okay."

oOo

"What do you mean we're surrounded?" Leodor barked upon hearing the bad news. "How did it happen in just one night? And what are you doing, letting all of these happen?"

Brigida's face was stern. She made a mistake. No, she didn't. It was the lack of judgment on her part. She didn't think enough and couldn't plan of what will happen. There's no mistake for there was no plan made. "I am very sorry, Master."

"What can that apology do? You can only make up for these by defeating them. What is the situation outside?" Leodor asked. His face is red with endured fury. "Answer me, now!"

"The troops that were in the frontline seemed ready for a fight, forming a line in the shore. They were led by their Captain, Lafarga and one of the magic knights called Umi. And-"

"What? Don't tell me there is worse news other than that magic knight who is with them?" Leodor interrupted.

"Yes. The Autozam battleship, NSX, occupies the sky above us and a lot of their fighters are scattered on the sea all around us." She informed farther. She even looked down on the floor, trying to avoid Leodor's face.

"They're doing this to get the Pillar off this ship. _I can't believe this is actually happening!_ Disperse the troop and protect this ship. Never let them get near the ship! We won't let them win! Go!" Leodoor commanded in-between gritted teeth. _"They can't ruin my plans. Aura, no matter what, you will never defeat me!"_

oOo

While there is an incoming battle outside, Lantis and Kruz quietly slipped inside the _Everesta_ through the same door where Brigida and the other Gastonia's guards enter. They noticed the dark hallways empty. Only the faint sound of their footsteps could be heard. However, Lantis knew that it is still too early to relax. They're inside an unfamiliar surroundings and anything could happen. And they have yet to uncover the truthfulness of the map that they have found or the identity of its "owner".

They turned into another empty hallway and then to its right, another hallway, but this time, with light and windows. They could see the troop led by Umi and Lafarga ashore and a fast approaching ice-flame arrows flying towards them.

Forgetting the impulse to go and help them, Lantis continued walking with Kruz quietly following him.

"Are there really no one left to stay inside this ship?" Kruz asked not particularly to Lantis but to himself.

"It's too quiet." And then they both stopped. "I feel somebody approaching."

"We're near Hikaru's room." Lantis stated and continued walking.

"I said someone's approaching!" Kruz hissed. "We could be found out and the plan will be obliterated!"

"It is Hikaru. I can feel her energy." Lantis answered and turned to another right corridor and then finally saw it. At the end of the hall is an only room. Just as the map indicated, the room and the hallway is isolated. There is no other way leading to another corridor but the one where they had entered.

"That's the room." Kruz voiced out.

"Yes. But Hikaru's not in there yet… it's someone else's. It is the same person who gave us this map." Lantis said. His handsome features turned even more serious as he realized that the person's aura weren't as gentle as he had felt it on the map.

"You scare me with that face of yours, Lantis. Is there any problem with _that person_?" Kruz asked. "And oh, I might as well inform you that someone _really _is approaching. And I can feel menace in it. I'll have to leave you alone and give her a warm welcome."

Lantis turned to Kruz. "Alright. I'll handle the one inside that room."

Lantis continued towards the room. The door opened by itself when he neared it. A woman, petite, with an angelic but passive face stood inside, her aquamarine eyes looking at him fiercely.

oOo

"_It was Mokona. I can't believe it!" _Hikaru thought as she strides out of the Deity's room. Deep in thinking and still shocked at the things Mokona _told_ her; she didn't even notice that there was no one outside the room waiting for her.

"_I need to get to Inca and get out of here as soon as we can!" _Hikaru decided and ran towards her room. She didn't bother thinking why no servant was waiting for her when she finally realized their absence.

"_A vow has been broken. A test will be given to those who have to take it."_

"…_if you fail, Cephiro will be forever gone."_

"_In your hand lies the lives of your people and in her hands lay the lives of her people…"_

Hikaru felt herself out of breath and stopped to rest. She knows it's not because of running hastily in the hallway that her heart hurts. It was of the truth that was revealed to her. And she couldn't help but feel….alone, miserable and afraid. A heavy responsibility was put in her shoulder and she doesn't know if she could fulfill it.

"What will happen to the people of Cephiro? To Ascot? Presia? Caldina? Clef?" she asked even though she knows the answer. "What will happen to Lantis?" A tear fell from her eyes and then another. They poured down continuously and fell to the floor.

"_They will be forgotten. They will have the same fate as Cephiro…"_

"They'll die. They'll…die. And it will all be because of me!" Hikaru cried.

oOo

"Who are you?" Lantis asked. He quickly withdrew his swords and got himself ready for a possible fight.

"I have been waiting for you. I am glad you could come…" She said as her face twisted grimace of hatred. Her eyes gave off invisible fires.

"_I don't understand."_ Lantis thought. "I do not know you."

The girl snickered. "Oh, but I know you very well." She said. "My _friend_ told me about _you_. Have you forgotten Desma already? I am going to take vengeance for her death."

Before Lantis knew it, the woman lifted hand and threw her a powerful magic. "Glass Assault!"

Hundreds of small, sharp mirror shards appeared into view and flew towards direction. "Die!"

"Magic Shield!" Lantis bellowed and he was instantly surrounded by a protective barrier. "Reflect!"

Lantis held his swords with its tip on the floor while he said those words. The instant that the mirror shards neared him, the barrier gave off an amount energy that's enough to make all the glass debris fly back to the opposite direction.

'Ah!" the woman yelped in pain; her arms crossed in front of her face for protection. "Damn! You'll pay for this! Crystal Ruins!" Small, pointed, ice-like mirror shards again flew into Lantis' direction. This time, it was able to penetrate the barriers; forcing Lantis abandon his current place and run to other direction.

"_She's still a woman. I can't just hurt her!"_

"Barrier Shield!" More crystal ruins came into his way and all Lantis can do was to obstruct it. _"It can't go on like this!"_ Lantis and stopped on his track.

"Giving up already?" she asked.

"_Wrong."_

"Stun Assegai!" It was a seldom used attack that Lantis created and mastered himself. A harmless attack he made for capturing strayed monsters near the castle and villages especially at night. It formed from an energy he accumulated in his right hand into a clean-white smoke, shaped like a spear and thrown near an enemy. It will stretch and circle an enemy, trapping him inside and make him lose his consciousness.

The attack surprised his enemy at the moment. The woman tried to shun it but was too late, she was already entangled and her struggles became useless. When the smoke disappeared, she came into sight, lying fast asleep on the floor. Lantis walked near her to make sure she is truly unharmed.

And then he heard the door opened and someone came in.

"Lantis!"

Lantis turned in time to see Hikaru running towards him and locked him in a tight embrace.

"You came. How did you enter?" she asked, her arms still entwined on his body. She felt him reciprocate the embrace as his arms tightened around her. She relaxed her head on his chest and tried to forget that they're still inside an enemy territory.

"We managed to find a way inside. I was with someone, a fellow soldier." He answered.

"We?"

"He went somewhere to pave the way for us to the exit. We have to get going. We have very little time." Lantis forced himself away from and concentrate on his original task. "Let's go."

"Okay." Hikaru followed him out of the room. He obviously knew the way out of the place. "Oh! Inca! That woman on the floor was Inca. I didn't even notice her. Let's go back inside and wake her. She should go with us."

"She's an enemy. I was fighting with her a while ago." Lantis said. "It's better to leave her be."

"But she helped us. It was her idea to give you the map! Did you hurt her, Lantis?" Hikaru asked; her face showed disbelief.

"I tried my best not to hurt her. Trust me."

Hikaru nodded and trailed behind him, her heart still beating fast. _Trust me_. And his eyes with that solemn gaze. _Uhm._ She realized she could drown in those eyes. She wondered if all girls in love also experience it. Trouble. A big trouble she willingly accepts.

But there's also a trouble that's coming their way… Hikaru knew she had to do something about Cephiro's biggest problem if she still wants to be with him. "_If I fail, he'll die… and Ferio and Clef and everyone. Umi and Fuu will get hurt. But what should I do?" _Before Lantis could notice her dilemma, she quickly dismissed thinking about it and continued following him.

"Are we in the exit now?" Hikaru asked when Lantis stopped.

Lantis smiled a smile that took her breath away for the _first time_ and took her hand. "No but we're near. I just want to hold your hand."

"Oh. I-Lant- That's…_so sweet of you."_ she wanted to say those last four words but decided not to. She knows her blushed cheeks already gave away the effect of his _sweet_, simple gesture, whether he's aware of it or not.

oOo

"_Finally, it has come. I am now ready…"_

Fuu felt a piercing ache on her head when he heard those words. She felt like every ounce of energy from her body is being drained off. Her knees buckled and Ferio swiftly took her arms to support her. "Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

Fuu pressed on her forehead and shook her head slowly. "No…" those escaped from her lips before she slipped out of consciousness.

*to be continue*

* * *

another chapter, though it took me long to upload it. thanks for reading!


	23. Leodor's Defeat Victory?

**Author:** Love and friendship will always prevail. No matter how hard the obstacles are, as long as you are determined and has a heart firmed against pains, fear not for you will always see the light. And may this fanfiction, as it nears its end, will have a happy ending that each of the characters deserves. Thank you for reading!

**Chapter Twenty Three**

Leodor's Defeat… or Victory?

It was a short battle. The magic that was the cause of Everesta's invisibility lost its effect after the repetitious attacks from Umi and Lafarga's group. The soldiers of Leodor's group were defeated; some lost their lives, some were captured.

But as to what happened to those inside Everesta, nobody knows. Neither Lantis nor Kruz have appeared with Hikaru. Nobody knows if they had retrieved Hikaru.

oOo

"Master! The Cephirian soldiers have secured the areas outside the ship. There is only little time for us to escape! What are we going to do?" It was Brigida. Weariness and agitation were put across on her face. One arm clutched on the other dripping with blood. She barely escaped that man named Kruz in their fight.

Leodor was standing in the middle of the room with his back facing her. "Nothing…"

Brigida was surprised. She could feel the impending betrayal in that one simple word that came out of the Prince' mouth. She felt weak and her bearing became woozy. "What do you mean?"

"We do nothing…" Leodor faced her. His face overexcited, eyes glassy, and his lips curved with an outrageous smile. He pointed on the round platform in the middle of the room, not far from him. "See that?" Brigida stared at it. That was the only time she noticed the platform was empty. She can still remember, for the few times that she stepped inside this room, a black smoke were always hanging above the platform… But now, it was empty.

"Our mistress has awakened. The moment I was waiting for has now arrived! Cephiro is doomed! As a prize for my loyalty, I can now claim it!" Leodor laughed out loud. "I've won!"

The Chief Lady Guard was astonished. She has never seen this part of Leodor before. Yes, she had seen him angry, sad, and determined – all for the sake of ousting their deceitful Pillar but seeing this new Leodor… Brigida was baffled. Frightened.

Her knees weakened; there was no more energy to keep her self from falling as she collapsed on the floor. She could only look at Leodor. The prince she had blindly followed was no more. The man laughing like a mad man inside the room is not her master.

oOo

"Someone's coming out of the ship! Look!" Ascot shouted, pointing to the ship's deck.

"It's them. Lantis, Kruz and Hikaru!" Umi identified the persona of the three people.

"We better go there." Umi suggested.

"Come on!" Ascot was waiting near his bird friend already and was waiting for Umi. "We don't have time!"

Umi nodded and followed Ascot. The bird took them in the direction of the three people.

"Hikaru!" Umi wasted no time and gave Hikaru a very tight hug. Her eyes were watery when she let go of her and said, "I was so worried! All of us! You idiot! What are you doing getting yourself captive?"

"Umi, Give her time to talk…" Ascot said. He nodded to Lantis and Kruz and then to Hikaru. "I'm glad you were all safe."

"Yeah. I can see that you've done great here outside. It was faster than I expected. I didn't even enjoy the fight with that crazy woman! Hooo!" Everyone looked at Kruz and he curiously said, "What?"

Everyone ignored him after that. "I'm so sorry for making you all worry…" Hikaru said, bowing her head in contrition.

"The hell you are! You should be tied in your bed next time! So much for apologizing…" Umi sighed. "Sorry, I'm just angry. I didn't mean that word I said earlier."

"It's alright, Umi. It was really my fault." Hikaru said. Guilt was all over her face. "I know I deserve that… right, Lantis?" She looked up at the man beside her, her face so sad and about to cry.

Lantis kept himself from closing his eyes and stopping the frustration building inside him. Her crying face isn't even helping him. He doesn't like seeing her crying and only the Holy Deity knows and himself that he wanted to scold her just as Umi did earlier. Tying her in her bed is great idea too, the next time a situation like this happens again.

He held her face gently and wiped off the tears at the rims of her eyes. "Don't cry. It's already been done. What matters is that we're all safe." He smiled at her softly.

"Urrgghh. Save us from this, oh, mushy stuff… if thouyou God still exists!" Umi said exaggeratedly with matching roll of her eyes and movement of her arms.

"Hey, you're making me jealous. Perhaps, I shall find my own magic knight and make soppy eye with her!" Kruz stated and walked towards Umi, kneeled down, and said, "Will you be my magic knight?" and smiled charmingly.

And Umi, a little bit awed from his gesture blushed and was tongue-tied.

"Hey, get away from her! _M-c!_ Don't touch her!" Ascot interfered and tried to push him away.

"No way! She could be my lifetime lov-"

"Stop! You two!" Umi's voice interrupted them. But it wasn't effective enough as the two men continued on arguing. "Now, _this!_" She turned to around only to see Hikaru and Lantis ignoring them as they too were trapped inside their own make-believe world…

Only when a group of Cephirian soldiers coming from Everesta's main door did they stop. Even Hikaru and Lantis were back to reality. The two guards were supporting the already weakened Brigida and another carrying the still unconscious Inca. Following them were the guards holding Leodor.

Leodor halted right in front of Hikaru and Lantis.

Lantis moved slightly in front of Hikaru, protecting her from any assault. Hikaru looked at Leodor and could only see danger. Even though he's defeated, he's far from the appearance of a defeated invader.

"You think you've won?" He smiled wickedly and said, "You're wrong." The guards gave him no time to continue and pulled him away. "You don't know what's coming to you! She's here! She's back! You'll all disappear!"

"I didn't know that Princess Aura's brother is crazy." Umi said. They were all watching as Leodor and the guards retreated from the ship. His voice and evil laugh still echoed around them.

"Umi, where is Fuu?"

The question Hikaru asked was answered by silence. No one has the heart to break to her the news of the other magic knight's deteriorating health with its cause still unknown. Umi met Hikaru's eyes with sadness. "Fuu is-"

Before Umi could continue, she was interrupted by a wailing sound. All their attention was shifted in the sky. A small ship, almost similar to Everesta, appeared. They watched as it stopped above the castle.

"Judging from the look of that air vessel, it's from Gastonia. Princess Aura is here." Umi said.

Hikaru stiffened after hearing Umi. Realization suddenly dawned to her. _No!_

"_A vow has been broken. _

"Oh God. No." she said audibly causing everyone's attention back to her. She felt all her strength being drained from her body causing her to lean to Lantis for support. "This is a mistake. Make them leave!" she said before darkness devoured her.

_A test will be given to those who have to take it."_

oOo

Aura stared at the sleeping form of her brother. She couldn't stand the sight of him. He was so weak that all he can do is lie on the bed. His face was crumpled. There were dark circles below his eyes. He looked tired and weak as though he was about to die…

Everyone was very surprised at the way he looked. It was only a few hours since they last saw Leodor. They were so confused about the sudden change in his appearance and health. It seems like life was slowly being drained out of him.

Leodor slowly opened his eyes. It was her younger sister's frame sitting beside him on the bed that he saw. He smiled at her however it was a weak one.

Tears flowed out of his eyes as Aura held and kissed his hands. "Leo… why does it have to happen to us?" she asked but Leodor could not answer her anymore. He does not have the required strength to do so. "Do you desire power so much that you have to sacrifice everything you have? Look what it's done to you…" she cried. Her heart was weeping for her lost brother and for the brother he will not be any longer.

Leodor could hear everything she said. If only she could answer it. If only he make her stop crying. He's not worth her tears and no matter what she says won't change all that's happened. Nor will it change his decisions. He is a selfish bastard. He deceived his people into following him by telling them lies. He loved power so much, desired it and was willing to sacrifice even his sister.

And yes, look what it's done to him…

But he knows deep inside that his sacrifice will be awarded accordingly. Leodor looked at the ceiling as though he could see something there. Shortly, he was again consumed by sleep, his sister's cries falling into deaf ears.

oOo

"Wake up, beloved."

Hikaru opened her eyes and was greeted by Lantis' handsome face. He was smiling down at her. And her heart, despite of the situation they're in, fluttered. "Lantis…" she blushed.

"How long was I asleep?" she asked shyly.

"Not too long."

"Where's everyone?"

"They left already. Resting, I guess…"

"Oh…"

Silence. None of them knew how to start at something they could discuss.

"Is there…" Hikaru looked up at Lantis as he asked. "…anything I can do for you?"

Hikaru smiled. "Yes." She saw him tensed as he listened to her to continue. "I'm famished. I need food." Yes, food… Maybe if she's not hungry, she can think of something to talk about or she can stop herself from blushing and ogling.

Lantis rose from his seat and grabbed the tray from the table not far from her bed. "I was expecting that."He said. Hikaru reached for the tray and snatched it from him. Lantis hid the tiny smile that escaped from his lips. He knew Hikaru isn't the type who makes herself a burden to anyone.

"Thanks." She smiled at him and started to consume the food of tray lying on her lap to hide her nervousness. Lantis sat silently watching her.

"Hikaru, I know it's early for me to talk about this." suddenly, he started to strike a conversation. "When you passed out you said words that kept bugging me…"

Hikaru looked up at him. She remembered clearly what he was talking about. Just before she lost consciousness, Princess Aura's mother ship arrived. She remembered the words Mokona told her and panicked realizing that the time she was dreading to happen arrived. There is no escaping the horrible fate Cephiro and Gastonia is in. She isn't sure who the other candidate to be tested that Mokona is referring to but when Umi mentioned about Princess Aura, she had finally had an inkling on the identity of the other person. Then, fear managed to creep in and intensified by the anxiety and restlessness she thought she had managed to escape while captured by Leodor. Before she knew it, she fell unconscious.

"Are you okay?" Lantis' concerned voice woke her up from her thinking.

Suddenly, her earlier slacken face turned to him with pained expression. "Lantis… I have to tell everyone! And where is Princess Aura?" she asked, her eyes fogged with concern.

"When she arrived, she talked to Clef then she was escorted to her own bedchamber. She was exhausted during the journey. What is wrong?"" Lantis answered then asked softly.

"What did she say her purpose into coming her? How was she able to leave her country? She has a big country to support with her prayers, right?" Hikaru asked incessantly. "I need to talk to her. Bring me to her room. Now!"

Lantis was quiet after her outburst. "Are you sure? You are in a bad shape, I can see it." His eyes contradicted with the calmness on his voice. It was darkened with worry and the need to prevent her from leaving the bed.

"But Cephiro is in danger!" Hikaru resisted. "Please?" she pleaded with her eyes.

His jaw flexed when he heard what she said. Different emotions paraded on his dark orbs as it met hers.

"And also, Cephiro's safety depends on the Pillar. Me." Hikaru stifled a sob. "I saw Mokona and he said something."

Lantis, although confused by her last words, patiently listened. He enclosed Hikaru in his arms in a reassuring embrace.

"There's another test. And that's where Cephiro's fate will be determined…" she continued.

"_When will all this end? Why must these girls endure this kind of pain for the sake of the country they don't live in?"_ Those were Lantis' thought. But he knows they can't run away from it. Ever since the day they accepted themselves as magic knights and fought in a battle to save Emeraude from the enemy they assumed to be his only brother, Zagato, they became an essential part of Cephiro. They will be forever a part of Cephiro's history. And now, Hikaru holds the highest and most powerful position in all of Cephiro. The long-awaited claiming of the Crown, pulsing with life inside its chamber, cannot be denied any longer. And Lantis fears for what will happen next.


	24. The Reveal

**Chapter Twenty Four**

**The ****Reveal**

"I am not ready to wear the crown." Hikaru stated. It wasn't something she can decide to accept right away. She won't take it. Not unless she's ready to take on the test and not with a heart that's still fragile and fears for the coming unknown.

"I do not know what will happen after I wear the crown. It's not just a simple vesting of position, Clef. There are lots of things involved."

Master Clef looked at her with sympathy. "Are you worried about Lantis? You are afraid that Emeraude's tale will be repeated."

"Yes." She nodded. As if in pain, she clutched both of her hands above her heart. "I was thinking aboutthe banished system. What if it comes back after I accept the crown? What if I fail as a Pillar?" Hikaru asked worriedly.

"When you received the power of the Pillar at the last battle, made that wish, you have shared your power with the people. Have you forgotten your declaration? You have given the people the power to decide the fate of Cephiro." Clef said. "That will never be revoked until the next Pillar, Hikaru."

Her face relaxed a bit. "I understand. However -"

"If you understand it, make a decision soon…" the mage goaded.

"There's still one thing, Clef." Weariness was revealed through her eyes. "Do you know about the _true_ test of the Pillar?" she asked.

Something iron-gripped Clef's heart. "Where did you hear that?"

"From Mokona." Hikaru answered. "I wondered where my fluffy friend had gone. None of hou knew about Mokona's whereabouts but Mokona visited me and told me about the test. It will decide Cephiro's future and that other _nation_ as well."

"What other nation?"

"I don't know! I have a feeling it refers to Gastonia." Hikaru answered. "There must be a link between Cephiro and Gastonia, Clef!"

"Yes. Gastonia and Cephiro are almost similar. They have the same government system. The source of power comes from the strength of the heart and monsters appear because of fear and hatred. Those were not mere coincidences. No one, not even the last mage before could explain it. However, after I've read the "Secret Chronicle of Cephiro" and after Umi and Ascot handed to me a book that they took from Gastonia, those remarkable similarities started to feel strange to me. All of it points to only one direction, that is, Cephiro and Gastonia is connected in many ways." Clef said with an astute expression.

"There were symbols that were used by Cephiro before. The Twin Crown. Even the Magic Knight's Symbol. The symbol of Celes, Windam and Rayearth." Clef looked up when he heard the magic knight-soon-to-be-pillar of Cephiro gasped.

"God!"

"Hikaru, I believe that _test_ is something inevitable. It will happen whether you want it or not."

Tears started to appear at the rim of her eyes. "How did it come to this? The separation of the twin princesses happened in the past! Cephiro was on its own for a very long time. Why is it in this kind of threatening situation again?"

Master Clef looked away. His hands tightened on his scepter. "Because something has been broken."

"What- what is it, Master Clef?"

"_The final judgment lies to the heart of the last Pillar. Judgment lies on thine heart's pureness. Those who decided to left must never come back again. Otherwise, destruction of the land will arise."_ Master Clef recited. "Those were the exact words written by Master Racius."

Full realization finally dawned to Hikaru. Just as she was about to open her mouth to speak, the massive door to Clef's study opened. It revealed a blindingly beautiful woman possessing the deepest yet saddest eyes Hikaru had ever seen, Princess Aura.

"May I talk to you, Clef?" Her melodic voice that rivaled those of Princess Emeraude's echoed around the room.

oOo

"_I'm glad she's finally starting to regain her color."_ Umi sighed and sat cozily on a chair suspended in midair by magic. She placed the piece of white cloth she used in wiping Fuu's incessan perspiration in a basin placed on a nearby table. She heard the door to Fuu's room opened. She didn't bother turning around, she knew instinctively that it was Hikaru. It was a thing that until now she had hard time of believing. It started when they came back from their last journey to Cephiro. Her intuition became stronger. She can feel other people's energy when they're nearby. She wasn't sure if it happened with Hikaru and Fuu. She just assumed that the same happened to them.

"How is she?"

"At least she isn't as pale looking as before. But I still can't say she's getting better. What did you talk about with Clef anyway?" Umi said looking up.

Hikaru did not answer and instead, she sat beside Fuu on the bed and held the wind knight's right hand. Hikaru frowned. Fuu's hand was cold. Hikaru hoped that there was something she could do for her friend. That was when she felt an unfamiliar sensation suddenly surged through her body. There was a stream of heat travelling inside her body. It moved through her every vein, her blood rushed and…

Umi and Hikaru looked at each other. There was confusion on the fire knight's small face. Umi's curious eyes shoot towards the intertwined hands of Hikaru and Fuu.

"What are you…doing, Hikaru?"

Hikaru looked where Umi's eyes were fixated.

"Oh!"

Red lights were coming off Hikaru's hands and it was being absorbed by Fuu's hand. "What's this?"

Before Umi could utter another word, she saw Fuu's eyelashes fluttered. Umi literally bounced off the chair and was beside Hikaru in no time. Together, they waited for Fuu to open her eyes. Silently, they realized how it seemed ages ago since they were together like this. They missed hanging out every weekend together and talk about their experiences in school. Shopping. Eating out. They often walked down Tokyo's streets together while they're teasing each other. Hikaru missed Umi's long lectures. Umi missed Fuu's intellectual insights. And surely, Fuu missed watching both Hikaru and Umi debate about certain things, even the most trivial of those. Fuu would simply laugh at them when Umi frustratingly gives up at the end and Hikaru laughing with triumph. Or when Umi's eyes shines with victory while Hikaru pouting because her arguments were proven wrong.

Umi and Hikaru almost jumped with joy when Fuu finally opened her eyes. A weak groan came from her. As her vision finally cleared, it sparked with recognition. "Hikaru… you're safe…"

"Of course! Everyone helped each other in rescuing me! Lantis went inside the ship to help me escape… Umi and Lafarga and Ascot were outside, they fought with the Gastonian soldiers. Oh, there was Kruz too." Hikaru said nonstop. She was so excited that she wasn't sure if she's stating real facts anymore.

"Leodor was defeated. Princess Aura's here, too. So please, Fuu, you have to get better. We cannot celebrate with you lying there!" Umi added. There were tears falling from her eyes.

Fuu smiled.

Hikaru finally let go of her hand and wiped her own tears. Umi too were wiping her face. "I can't believe I'm crying again like this!" She said. Hikaru laughed and hugged Umi. Umi returned her embrace. They were both crying again. Something heavy was lifted off their chest. They're relieved. It seemed that Hikaru's strange energy give-off will now help Fuu recover.

What they didn't know was that it was too soon to rejoice. They did not see it because they are locked in an embrace with each other. Energy, a very weak one, almost came off their friend's body. Her eyes became glassy again. She was in limbo again. The small energy that Hikaru unconsciously gave her was used up. Something wanted to come out of Fuu's body. She could feel it. It is suffocating her. It was a sensation very familiar to her- when she drowned while at sea on one of their family vacation which led to her taking a swimming lesson a few weeks after. She could feel the urgency to gasp for air but she couldn't because she was underwater. She wanted it all to end. She wanted control of her body again. She hoped whatever is inside her will leave her. Soon. So she could rejoice together with her friends.

oOo

Aura was silent ever since Hikaru left Clef's study. The truth was she wasn't sure what she came to talk about. Oh, there is. It was about the disturbing images she had seen in her dream right after that magic knight, Umi, had left. It was the only thing that made her leave her own country, risking its safety and leaving it into Master Clew's and the people's hands in order to silence the turmoil that it created in her heart and mind.

"What are your plans now that Leodor is defeated? Are you going back to Gastonia with your brother?"

Princess Aura turned her back on Clef and held back a sob. She couldn't bear to look at this… very distant Clef. There was no trace of the man she loved. Everything just wasn't the same anymore.

"I have no other choice. I have to go back to Gastonia soon." She said. "But Clef…"

Silence.

Only the loud thumping in their hearts were the sounds that filled their ears.

"Clef! This is not over yet."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I don't think that… Leodor is the enemy. He was not repentant for all that he has done. He was not even angry when he lost. There was something behind all that happened…" Aura said, her shoulder slumped, her voice weary.

"I'm worried, Clef… for you. This world will be in grave danger. I never thought of coming here. But that dream came back to me again and again. Darkness. End. Cephiro and Gastonia-"

Master Clef interrupted. Aura looked at him and saw him in deep thought. "So you knew about the test, too."

"What- what test?" Princess Aura turned around, looking clueless, sad, and confused at the same time.

"The final test of the pillar. Hikaru told me about it. All the evidence points to Gastonia as the other part of Cephiro…"

"What are you talking about, Clef?"

"Aura, do you know about this Master Racius?"

"Yes. She was the Master Mage at the reign of Gastonia's first pillar, Zipporah. Why are you asking me this?"

Time suddenly stopped around Clef after hearing her answer. There was no other movement, no sound. He could only hear his own thoughts.

_The final Judgment. Pillar. No. Pillars. Hikaru. Aura._

_Those who left – Gastonia! - must never come back again. Otherwise, destruction of the land will arise – Cephiro!_

All the scrambled pieces were back in its place.

"_There is no escape anymore. Aura's already here. That means… Aura and Hikaru will…" _He thought as he secretly looked at the woman standing not far away from him.

"Clef!" Aura's worried voice stirred him out of his reverie. "What are you thinking? Tell me! I was right, right? Leodor's defeat was not yet the end of this… chaos! Tell me what you think, Clef!"

"Aura… the final judgment of the Pillar. You and Hikaru will be taking it."

"I don't understand you at all Clef…"

Master Clef tried his best to explain to her everything that he has learned. The Twin Princesses – Zipporah and Ziarah, the other part of Cephiro that the Holy Deity granted Zipporah, Master Racius and the book of the old chronicles of Cephiro – the words that only Master Racius heard…

**The final judgment of the Pillar.**

Princess Aura was unbelieving of it all. But is there any point in doubting Clef's words?

"Then Clef… does it mean, my coming here was the trigger that made the _warning _to come true? _I_ should have stayed in Gastonia._ I_ shouldn't have come here. This all my fault! My fault! Oh, Holy Deity, what should I do now? " All of her strength suddenly escaped her. She fell on her knees. Crying. Regretting. Blaming herself.

"Aura…" Clef looked away. He never wanted to see her crying face again. But now here she was in front of him, crying. Her heart was in pain. And once again, there was nothing he could do about it.

oOo

"Aahhh!"

Hikaru screamed as she felt the hard wall touched her back. She heard Umi screamed too, but she was too busy balancing herself, ignoring the pain on her back due to the impact of the blow that came from Fuu. While she and Umi were busy gushing about Fuu's recovery and what they'll do with everyone, a powerful force separated them and threw them away from their sleeping friend and into the opposite walls of the room. She saw Umi on the other corner of the room; there were blood on her shoulders.

Fuu's eyes were still closed but her body was suspended in the air. She was surrounded by a thick blanket of black vortex. Hikaru willed her sword to show up, assumed an offense position and moved forward the swirling vortex.

"Stop, Hikaru! It's dangerous!" Umi's also holding her sword in her hands but she wasn't planning on assaulting an unknown adversary yet. "If you get closer, that vortex will engulf you! Believe me; I've seen that once… it was just like before… before Alcione died! Shit! Could it be?" Umi suddenly looked at Fuu who was still inside the vortex, unconscious. "Hikaru, I think -" She wasn't able to continue because a powerful wind seemed to be moving violently around the room and hit both of them that they have to cover their face.

"Urrgghh… Umi, are you alright?"

Hikaru asked. The vortex carrying Fuu moved toward her. She ran to Umi's side and looked back to clash with the vortex. But it just went straight to another wall, destroying it without strain, making a big hole on it and left the two of them alone in the room.

The vortex was moving very fast but Umi and Hikaru managed to follow it. They realize that the vortex was heading towards the palace entry, probably planning to escape. They have to stop it. They need to save their friend.

"Fuu!" Umi called out.

"Wake up, Fuu!" Hikaru seconded.

The vortex stopped outside the palace. Umi and Hikaru watched, trying to anticipate its next move. But both of them were at loss of any ideas. They cannot go near the vortex and fight it or use their magic spells without endangering Fuu's life.

"We can't attack that vortex while it is holding Fuu!" Hikaru said.

"I know!" Umi said, frustrated.

The vortex moved again. They saw the other magic knight opened her eyes. "Help…" Her mouth could only form the words.

Fuu woke up as she felt that the thing that was inside her was ready to come out now. She knew it will hurt her. Her whole body felt like it's inside an oven, with all her insides on the verge of blowing up. Her heart is burning. Her head is pounding. She couldn't breathe.

_It_ moved. _It_ was coming out. She suddenly remembered the smoke that lingered above her before she became _sick_. That black smoke was the "_it" _that entered her. _It _made her weak. She remembered a man's voice asking why _she_ was chosen and not him before she lost her consciousness. Then another voice answering,_ "She will be perfect for it. It is my greatest pleasure to play with the magic knights. Don't you think it is fun? Unknowingly, I'll be gathering every piece of myself inside her. I'll use her energy. I'll use her weakness. I can do that once I'm inside her…"_

Fuu remembered how her body slowly weakened. Every night she had nightmares. The most terrifying of it all was the one wherein she's left inside a dark cave, alone. Nobody heard her when she called out for help. Ferio wasn't there. Umi and Hikaru left her alone…

She heard her friend's voice calling her name.

"_Fuu, wake up! Don't let that thing get you!"_

Umi!

"_Fuu, please, wake up! Wake up! Wake up! You've got to or else we won't be able to help you!"_

Hikaru!

All right. She'll try. But how can she use her magic when she is so weak?

"_Don't try, magic knight. You'll just kill yourself."_

"Who are you?" Fuu asked.

"_Ah, forgotten me already, huh? You hurt me, little magic knight. Don't you remember me anymore?"_

"I do not know you! Why are you doing this? Why are you inside me?"

"_I needed a body, strong enough to protect me while I recuperate. Your body was perfect for it. Aren't you glad I've chosen you?"_ the voice said mockingly.

"Leave my body! Now!"

"_I will. And after that, everyone, including you, will die in my hands. I've been waiting for this day to come back. I'll kill you all!"_

"You will not!" Fuu said angrily. She closed her eyes and tried to call her magic. There was still hope. She's a magic knight. And she's in Cephiro, she can do it!

"_What are you doing?"_

"Just watch!"

"_Ah! Stop it!"_

Fuu ignored the voice and continued to call her magic. She closed her eyes. _Remember how you learned to use your magic. Remember it all, from the past. Let it flow in you. Open your heart and mind. Look for it. Feel it. Wish what you want to do with it. Nothing is impossible._

"_Aahhhh! Stooppppp!"_

Fuu smiled triumphantly. She's regaining her strength back. She felt a soothing heat surging inside her – but not touching that _thing_ inside her. It enveloped her entirely, isolating the owner of the voice that's inside her body.

She felt the _thing_ panicked. It was trying to escape. She felt the familiar burning inside her. It started from her chest then it crawled upwards, to her esophagus… to her mouth. And then it was gone. Yes, she was still weak. But the pain was gone.

She tried to open her eyes. She couldn't see clearly but she knew that the vague figures running towards her were her friends. Fuu smiled, relieved. She closed her eyes again.

-to be continue-

Thanks for reading. This is my very first fanfic. I hope you keep reading until its ending…

Lots of smile,

Ziniya


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